| 135421 | REPORT | N | N | MAIN | ACTION | AMENDED | N | Targeted Expansion of the Association of Community Centres to Support Community Development in Toronto | — | 2024.EC14.7 | Y | Y | Y | Y | <p>The Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration recommends that:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>1. City Council adopt the Association of Community Centres Expansion Framework shown in Attachment 1, and direct City staff to apply it when considering space development opportunities.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>2. City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, the Chief People Officer, People and Equity, the Executive Director, Financial Planning Division, the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management Services, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and Chief Executive Officer, CreateTO, in consultation with the City Manager's Office, the City solicitor and other relevant divisions and agencies, to develop an Implementation Plan and Resourcing Strategy and report back in Q3-2025 with recommendations to advance the City of Toronto's Association of Community Centres Expansion Framework, including shortlisted areas for expansion, and indication of the required resources.</p> | <p>This report seeks approval for the Association of Community Centres (AOCCs) Expansion Framework and Divisional collaboration and support to implement the framework.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The City of Toronto currently has ten centres that are managed, operated, and maintained by volunteer Boards of Management, which are collectively referred to as the Association of Community Centres. The City has a Relationship Framework with the Association of Community Centres, wherein the City provides each Centre with facility and core administrative funding, subject to approval through the annual budget process, with the centres raising the required programming funds through membership and program fees, grants, special projects and philanthropic donations. Under the Relationship Framework, the City also provides each Centre with access to a City-owned or City-leased facility. Social Development, Finance and Administration is the program liaison for the Association of Community Centres, with the City Manager’s Office being responsible for governance, legislative matters, municipal code provisions, board relations, and the Relationship Framework.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Core administrative funding budgeted from the City in 2024 for existing medium to large-size AOCCs ranges from approximately $0.868 million to $2.268 million. The estimated cost to construct a new AOCC would be $20-$60 million for 20,000 to 40,000 square feet of space, with an additional 2-3 percent required annually for long-term state-of-good-repair (SOGR) costs. Savings could be realized by re-purposing surplus City buildings, co-locating City and Community Services and/or leasing City facilities and lands at concessional rates to establish additional AOCCs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There are no immediate additional financial implications arising from the approval of the recommendations in this report. Funding requirements to expand the Association of Community Centres, as per the Expansion Framework, will be submitted for consideration as part of future budget processes subject to the City's financial and resource capacity against other critical City-wide operating and capital priorities.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer have reviewed this report and agree with the financial implications as presented in the Financial Impact section.</p> | <p>Community and social service organizations provide critical social infrastructure that is essential in the development of complete communities. As the City of Toronto undergoes continued growth and development, the need for additional community-based social infrastructure becomes increasingly important. The City can help meet this need through a renewed approach to developing City-owned, community-operated service spaces through a policy framework to facilitate the expansion of the Association of Community Centres (AOCCs) model. The purpose of this report is to put forward an Association of Community Centres (AOCCs) Expansion Framework.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Currently, the City of Toronto has ten centres that are operated and maintained by volunteer Boards of Management appointed by the City, which is collectively referred to as the Association of Community Centres. The Centres are multi-purpose facilities that provide public space, programs, and services to meet the social and recreational and needs of local communities. The ten centres are managed, operated, and maintained by Council-approved volunteer Boards of Management. The City of Toronto provides each Centre with access to a City-owned or City-leased facility and core administrative funding. Programming funds are raised through membership and program fees, as well as donations and grants. The Association of Community Centres portfolio has not been expanded in more than 30 years. Although the Centres are designated as part of an association, they operate independently as ten separate local and City boards under the City of Toronto Act, 2006. A Relationship Framework sets out Council’s delegation of authority, expectations and requirements for the Boards of Management.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>These ten Centres are distinct from the City’s 126 Community Recreation Centres, operated by Parks, Forestry and Recreation, as well as centres that are operated by other nonprofit agencies, such as the YMCA. AOCCs aim to achieve the following community development outcomes:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>· Social Connectedness and Cohesion, contributing to fostering social connectedness and cohesion among community members through the promotion of cross-cultural understanding, access to barrier-free spaces, diverse programming, volunteer opportunities and local community engagement.</p>
<p>· Community Resilience, including increasing access to health-related resources and services, engaging and prioritizing vulnerable or marginalized groups, and maintaining long-term, often local staff to build enduring relationships with residents.</p>
<p>· Local Leadership and Collaboration, focusing on partnerships with local agencies, grassroots groups, educational institutions, BIAs, and various City divisions to provide locally relevant opportunities and supports.</p>
<p>· Improved Health and Well-being, offering a range of tailored and responsive programs, services, and support networks that address the physical, social, emotional, and educational needs of meet the needs of vulnerable populations, such as seniors, low-income families, and individuals with disabilities.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The report outlines an equitable, location-based methodology to guide expansion, including alignment with the advancement of Complete Communities, use of equity metrics, geographic distribution, as well as community leadership and resident activation and the alignment with planning frameworks and area-based plans. Procedural, financial and legal considerations for expanding the Association of Community Centres are included, and the framework will place priority on understanding programming requirements, identifying existing space and locating potential development opportunities, formulating a capital resourcing strategy, and establishing a local Program Advisory Body.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Social Development, Finance and Administration will coordinate a City of Toronto Association of Community Centres Interdivisional Working Group to provide continuous input, references, and leadership to implement the Association of Community Centres Expansion Framework. The Interdivisional Working Group will develop an Implementation Plan and Resourcing Strategy including shortlisted areas and sites for expansion, by Q3 2025, for potential consideration as part of the 2026 budget process. The Working Group will explore the potential application of the Framework to existing development projects as well as new opportunities. A multi-stakeholder, city-wide Expansion Advisory Group will also be developed to guide the expansion of the Association of Community Centre model.</p> | 14 | 7 | CMMTTEE | EC | All | N | … | Report | ACTION | Amended | Main | Committee | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | Decision information not found | false | Amended | 1721793600000 | — | — |