| 136480 | REPORT | N | N | MAIN | ACTION | ADOPTED | N | Appointment of City of Toronto's First Youth Poet Laureate | 2024.EC15.1 | Y | Y | Y | Y | <p>This report recommends that City Council appoint Shahaddah Jack as the City of Toronto's inaugural Youth Poet Laureate, for a term beginning October 15, 2024, and ending on December 31, 2026. This term may be extended beyond the end of December to allow for the appointment of a successor.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Youth Poet Laureate Program was initiated at the recommendation of the Toronto Youth Cabinet in November 2023 to recognize and celebrate their 25th Anniversary. The Youth Poet Laureate will serve as a literary ambassador for young people across Toronto, working to elevate the status of poetry, language, and young writers by inspiring and engaging youth to share their stories through written and spoken word.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Shahaddah Jack, a 20-year-old bilingual spoken word poet and activist, uses her poetic lens to explore human rights, the Black experience, and the challenges of adolescence. Shahaddah has performed on over 100 stages, including events such as the Toronto International Festival of Authors and Nuit Blanche, and she recently released both her debut novel and single. She has been recommended for appointment following a competitive process adjudicated by the City's current Poet Laureate, Lillian Allen, and representatives from the Toronto Youth Cabinet.</p> | 15 | 1 | CMMTTEE | EC | All | N | 1728446400000 | … | Report | ACTION | Adopted | Main | Committee | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | ACTION | true | Adopted |
| 136482 | LETTER | N | N | MAIN | PRESENT | ADOPTED | N | Economic Benefits of High-Frequency Rail - Toronto to Quebec City Corridor | 2024.EC15.2 | Y | Y | Y | Y | <p>In December 2022, the Federal Government established the VIA Rail Subsidiary—VIA High Frequency Rail to support High Frequency Rail. The High Frequency Rail (HFR) project is a proposed investment to create a new train network that will run on mostly dedicated tracks at higher frequencies, higher speeds and with greater reliability between Toronto and Québec City.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The High Frequency Rail project presents a unique economic development opportunity by:</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>Achieving greater connectivity for people living in and around major cities and communities between Toronto and Québec City, and to major airports and universities/ colleges in the region.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Supporting economic growth by creating new employment opportunities in infrastructure, in new centres of economic activity and bringing people closer to markets and businesses.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Promoting a competitive marketplace that gives Canadians more flexibility and affordable options for intercity travel.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Increasing equitable access to passenger services for all people regardless of physical ability or socio-economic background.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Vinay Sharda, Vice President, Local Government and Community Partnerships of VIA High Frequency Rail, will provide a presentation on the economic development benefits and opportunities of High Frequency Rail.</p> | 15 | 2 | CMMTTEE | EC | All | N | — |
| 136519 | REPORT | N | N | MAIN | ACTION | AMENDED | N | Diversity Youth Fellowship Program | 2024.EC15.3 | Y | Y | Y | Y | <p>This report responds to Council direction, EC26.7, by providing details on the outcomes of the enhanced Diversity Youth Fellowship Program for 2022-2024 endorsed by City Council and advising on the feasibility of co-developing targeted Diversity Youth Fellowship programming for Indigenous youth.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Diversity Youth Fellowship is a leadership and career development program for young people 18 to 29 years old from equity-deserving communities to gain hands-on experience working with Toronto's elected officials at City Hall. The Fellowship includes training, mentorship, placements in Council Members’ offices and financial support to undertake a community project. The program currently serves approximately 30 youth annually. The program began in 2018 as the Muslim Youth Fellowship in partnership with the Urban Alliance on Race Relations. The Fellowship has since expanded to include the Black Youth Fellowship, Tamil Youth Fellowship, Filipino Youth Fellowship and Chinese Youth fellowship. The program ensures 50 percent of the fellows are women or identify as women. The Fellowship provides equitable access to opportunities for equity-deserving communities by supporting young people with career navigation, job experience and professional network development. It amplifies the experiences and needs of equity-deserving communities in municipal decision-making spaces and ultimately, enhances representation in municipal government and politics. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Moving forward, this report recommends enhancing the Diversity Youth Fellowship with a Newcomer Youth Cohort, and the implementation of an Indigenous Youth Fellowship beginning in 2025 in partnership with Eshkiniigjik Naandwechigegamig – A place for healing our youth Aabiish Gaa Binjibaaying? – Where did we come from? -Youth Program, known as ENAGB Indigenous Youth Agency.</p> | 15 |
| 136481 | REPORT | N | N | MAIN | ACTION | ADOPTED | N | Change to the Upper Village Business Improvement Area Board of Management | 2024.EC15.4 | Y | Y | Y | Y | <p>The purpose of this report is to make a change to the Upper Village Business Improvement Area Board of Management, in accordance with the requirements of the City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 19, Business Improvement Areas. The Upper Village Business Improvement Area falls within two Community Council boundaries.</p> | 15 | 4 | CMMTTEE | EC | 8 - Eglinton - Lawrence, 12 - Toronto - St. Paul's | N | 1728446400000 | … | Report | ACTION | Adopted | Main | Committee | … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
| 136479 | REPORT | N | N | MAIN | ACTION | ADOPTED | N | Loan of Artwork to the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts | 2024.EC15.5 | Y | Y | Y | Y | <p>This report recommends that City Council authorize the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, to enter into agreements to temporarily loan "Barren Ground Caribou", an artwork by Joyce Wieland owned by the City of Toronto, to the Art Gallery of Ontario and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. City Council authority is required to approve the loan since the artwork has an appraised value of over $100,000.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Joyce Wieland (1930-1998) was a conceptual artist who worked in film and mixed media and is recognized globally as one of the leading Canadian contemporary artists of the 20th century. The Art Gallery of Ontario and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts are preparing to stage a major retrospective of Joyce Wieland's work and have approached the City with a request to loan "Barren Ground Caribou" to feature prominently in the exhibition. "Barren Ground Caribou" is a large-scale quilt depicting caribou roaming across a tundra landscape that was commissioned for the Spadina subway station in 1975.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The exhibition will run at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts from February to May 2025 and is expected to open at the Art Gallery of Ontario in June 2025, before closing in January 2026. Following the exhibition, "Barren Ground Caribou" will be re-installed in its original location near the north entrance of Spadina station. The Art Gallery of Ontario and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts will assume all costs related to the loan of the artwork, and will ensure that its transportation, exhibition, storage, and re-installation are completed in accordance with professional museums standards.</p> | 15 | 5 | CMMTTEE | EC |
| 136218 | LETTER | N | N | MAIN | ACTION | ADOPTED | N | Los Angeles Mission 2024 - Final Report | 2024.EC15.6 | Y | Y | Y | Y | <p>At its meeting on July 5, 2024, Film, Television and Digital Media Advisory Board considered Item <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif;"><a href="https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2024.FB4.6"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">FB4.6</span></a> </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">and made recommendations to the Economic and Community Development Committee.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Summary from the report (June 20, 2024) from the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>On May 8 and 9, 2024, Mayor Olivia Chow led a delegation of 32 Toronto screen industry organizations to Los Angeles to nurture existing relationships and foster new ones with Los Angeles' leading film, television, and digital media companies in order to secure more investment in Toronto.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This report provides an overview of the Mayor's Los Angeles Mission including key activities, objectives, and outcomes of the mission.</p> | 15 | 6 | CMMTTEE | EC | All | N | 1728446400000 | … | Letter | ACTION | Adopted |
| 136237 | LETTER | N | N | MAIN | ACTION | ADOPTED | N | McCleary District Precinct Plan and the Business and Implementation Plan - Requests from the Film, Television, and Digital Media Advisory Board | 2024.EC15.7 | Y | Y | Y | Y | <p>At its meeting on July 5, 2024, Film, Television and Digital Media Advisory Board considered Item <span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif;"><a href="https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2024.FB4.3"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">FB4.3</span></a> </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">and made recommendations to the Economic and Community Development Committee.</span></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Summary from the Film, Television and Digital Media Advisory Board:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;">The Chair, Infrastructure and Sustainability Working Group will provide an update on the group's recent meeting.</span></p> | 15 | 7 | CMMTTEE | EC | All | N | — | … | Letter | ACTION | Adopted | Main | Committee |
| 136518 | LETTER | N | N | MAIN | ACTION | AMENDED | N | Advancing Action on the Impact to Action: Final Report on Anti-Black Racism in Toronto Police Services - Presentation Requests | 2024.EC15.8 | Y | Y | Y | Y | <p>At its meeting on September 4, 2024, the Confronting Anti-Black Racism Advisory Committee considered Item CR4.2 and made recommendations to the Economic and Community Development Committee.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Summary from the letter (August 19, 2024) from Walied Khogali Ali, Member, Confronting Anti-Black Racism Advisory Committee:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The motion I am proposing is centered on a review of the From Impact to Action report by the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC). This report critically explores anti-Black racism within the Toronto Police Service (TPS) and offers a range of recommendations aimed at addressing systemic challenges. Given the importance of these findings, I believe it would be highly beneficial for our committee to invite a representative from the OHRC to present on the recommendations enclosed in the report.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In addition to examining anti-Black racism at Toronto Police Services (TPS), this report highlights ways anti-Black racism is impacting Black Torontonians living in Toronto Community Housing (TCHC). As City agencies, it is important for the Committee to better understand anti-Black racism issues within these agencies to provide relevant recommendations and advice to City Council to enhance the experience and delivery of critical public services.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Furthermore, to understand the progress made toward advancing these recommendations, I think it is important for the Committee to receive an update directly from the City agencies identified in the report.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I believe this presentation will provide our committee with valuable insights into the progress made thus far, and highlight areas where further strategic action is needed, to continue to advance the Committee’s mandate.</p> | 15 |
| 136236 | LETTER | N | N | MAIN | ACTION | POSTPONE | N | Ombudsman Toronto Housing Unit Status Report 2024 | 2024.EC15.9 | Y | Y | Y | Y | <p>City Council on July 24 and 25, 2024, referred Item CC20.3 to the Economic and Community Development Committee for consideration.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Summary from the report (July 17, 2024) fromthe Ombudsman on Ombudsman Toronto Housing Unit Status Report 2024.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Pursuant to section 170(2) of the City of Toronto Act, 2006 (COTA), the purpose of this report is to provide City Council with a status report describing the activities of Ombudsman Toronto’s Housing Unit since its creation in July 2023. In less than a year, the Housing Unit has been fully staffed, developed its infrastructure, launched two investigations, provided consultations to City staff, and met with more than 170 people through their engagement work. Notably, the Housing Unit has also developed a framework that uses the concept of housing as a human right to guide their investigations, the first of its kind for an Ombudsman organization in Canada.</p> | 15 | 9 | CMMTTEE | EC | All | N | — | … | Letter | ACTION | Deferred | Main | Committee |
| 136220 | LETTER | N | N | MAIN | ACTION | REFERRED | N | Toronto International Pizza Festival | 2024.EC15.10 | Y | Y | Y | Y | <p>City Council on June 26 and 27, 2024, referred Motion MM19.32 to the Economic and Community Development Committee for consideration.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Toronto is well-known for our incredible food scene, and for our residents' long held and strong opinions for where to get their favourite dishes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In an effort to support our small businesses, Business Improvement Areas, and to encourage Torontonians in celebrating their favourite restaurants — the City should host the first ever Toronto International Pizza Festival.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Our City has incredible street festivals and food-related events that draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to locations across Toronto in order to experience the culinary excellence of Toronto. With thousands of pizzerias and related restaurants this festival provides a unique opportunity to encourage Torontonians to support small and local businesses, while also giving residents the opportunity to promote the many traditional and unique styles of pizza that can be found across Toronto.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The reason for urgency is to ensure that City staff has sufficient time to process this request by the September meeting of City Council.</p> | 15 | 10 | CMMTTEE | EC | All | N | — | … | Letter | ACTION |