Month: February 2017

Posted on

Happenings in The Curran Hall Community

 

Curran Hall Community Centre
Curran Hall Community Centre

 

Dear Curran Hall Neighbours,

Happy New Year!

I would like to wish everyone and their families my Best Wishes for a successful 2017!

This past year has been very eventful for our community and City Hall. For example, City Council did a Toronto Ward Boundary Review. This recommended increasing the number of Wards from 44 to 47, altering several of the downtown ward boundaries significantly. The new boundaries are to be in place for the 2018 election, contingent on any appeals to the Ontario Municipal Board. The Vacant & Derelict Buildings Rebate was canceled. I have been working on this since 2012. The rebate provided building owners with a rebate if their storefronts properties were empty. This has a negative effect on every neighbourhood.

Curran Hall Ravine Park: Barriers will be placed at the Mossbank entrance to the Curran Hall Ravine Park between Mossbank Drive and Northfield Road. Cars are driving into the area.

Pedestrian Crosswalk: I have requested a crosswalk be installed at Orton Park Drive and Slan Avenue to facilitate a safer crossing for residents. Transportation Services are conducting a study to establish if the request is needed.

Community Bus: I along with many residents have been fighting for a TTC Community Bus. I have been told by TTC General Manager Andy Byford due to a lack of financial support, a community bus cannot be introduced as this time. I am very disappointed with this development.Community bus

This project is important to our community. The TTC will keep our request under active review.

Pre-Apprenticeship Training Facility for Scarborough East: Scarborough has a lack of job skills training for youth who want to work in a skilled trade. This past Spring, the Toronto District School Board has closed Sir Robert L. Borden Business and Technical Institute on Poplar Road. I been in discussions with many potential partners to build a Job Skills Training Centre.

sir robedrt l. borden

Ideally, this will serve the purpose of converting the school to provide pre-apprenticeship training programs. Trades are an immense economic driver, which help steer our economy to success. I want to ensure Scarborough residents, especially our youth, who can be trained for stable, good paying jobs, which lead to a career.

Please contact me at councillor_ainslie@toronto.ca Tel: 416-396-7222 or visit my Constituency Office located in the Scarborough Civic Centre, 150 Borough Boulevard 2nd Floor.

Sincerely,

Paul W. Ainslie City Councillor
Ward 43, Scarborough East

Posted on

Council Defers Privatizing Our Garbage Collection in Scarborough

Dear Neighbour,

This past week Toronto City Council debated the concept of contracting out our garbage collection in Scarborough.

The result of the debate had Mayor Tory moving a motion for the entire process to be reviewed by senior City of Toronto management, in consultation with CUPE Local416, who represent the City’s outside workers. The report will be brought back to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee. This report has to include information on “options to continue to improve public sector waste collection service performance across the City”.

I supported Mayor Tory’s motion which will give the matter greater consultation with residents, and gives direction to focus on service deliver which works best for all of us. . .

Our unified voices to not support the privatization were heard loud and clear resulting in the matter being deferred to collect more information. In the past week I have heard from well over 1, 500 residents from across Ward 43. The vast majority do not support the privatization of waste collection in Scarborough.

The next steps include additional consultation with CUPE representatives on service performance, an overview of both currently contracted waste services and public sector service delivery, review of options for future waste collection service; an analysis of the Waste-Free Ontario Act and how that relates to curbside collection, a review of contract lengths private waste collection providers in other municipalities; of diversion rates and updated performance data and financial metrics, including cost per stop and cost per tonne. I would like to thank you for contacting me and providing your feedback. Your communication was instrumental in my decision to not support contracting out.

The complete Motion moved by Mayor Tory is to be found here:

1. City Council refer the Item to the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services and direct the
General Manager, in consultation with the Executive Director of Human Resources and the Director, Employee and Labour Relations, to report to the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee, having regard to the term of the current Collective Agreement with CUPE Local 416 regarding:

– The results of additional consultation with CUPE representatives with respect to options to continue to improve public sector waste collection service performance across the City;
– an overview of a comprehensive management program to be implemented in the Solid Waste Management Services Division as it relates to oversight of all currently contracted waste services as well as public sector service delivery;
– A review of options for future waste collection service, having regard to the current collective agreement with CUPE Local 416;
– An analysis of the Waste-Free Ontario Act and potential implications on future curbside waste collection service provision in the City;
– A review of contract lengths with private waste collection providers in other municipalities;
– An analysis of the long-term cost implications of diversion rates and the comparison within each district;
– Updated performance data and financial metrics, including cost/stop and cost/tonne within each district; and
– include funds in the 2017 Capital Budget and provide authority for the immediate purchase of vehicles as required and assessed by the General Manager, Solid Waste Management Services.

If you have any questions or concerns about this, or any other matter. Please contact me at any time.

Sincerely,

Paul W. Ainslie
City Councillor, Ward 43
Scarborough East