Report

THEMichael Walker
Report
FEBRUARY 2010 ST. PAUL’S CITY COUNCILLOR – WARD 22
The Ethical Revolution:
Election Finance Reform at City Hall
Throughout my time at City Hall, I have maintained a focus on carrying
out the public’s business according to the highest standards of
personal ethics and propriety.
Many years ago, for example, I refused to
accept donations to my re-election campaigns
from corporations and unions. I did so to ensure
that citizen influence was not overshadowed by
corporate and union influence; to make clear
that access to a political office could not be
bought or perceived to be bought; and to help
prevent the emerging power of special interest
groups from overwhelming individual interests
at City Hall.
While this practice had some supporters, it
was clear to me that the perception of access
to political decision making by those with
money was alive and well at City Hall. It was
also clear that the development of a culture
of access gained through corporate and union
electoral donations was undermining public
support for, and trust in, City Hall.
Beginning in 2001, our research made it
clear that corporate and trade union donations
were being given primarily to politicians
already in office, at the expense of newcomers.
This gave the incumbent an advantage, and
had the effect of making it more difficult for
newcomers to break into the political scene.
Early in 2002, we released a paper
proposing major reforms to municipal campaign
finance, which resulted in the establishment
of a Task Force of politicians and citizens. It
reported its recommendations in 2004, which
were very well received.
Through three terms of City Council, I
worked to remove the undue influence of
non-voter money in elections. Chris Sellors
of my office and I met with the Mayor and
the Minister of Municipal Affairs in 2005, the
Leaders of the Opposition, and again with
the Minister in 2008 to lobby for the changes
Success on Election CAMPAign Finance Reform!
December 2009: (L-R) Neil Carter (Executive Assistant to Councillor Jenkins),
Councillor Cliff Jenkins, Councillor Chin Lee, Councillor Michael Walker, Chris
Sellors (Executive Assistant to Councillor Walker)
necessary to provincial legislation. Over the
past few years, I worked with my fellow
Councillors Cliff Jenkins (North York) and Chin
Lee (Scarborough) to keep up the pressure.
On December 2, 2009, Toronto took
a giant, revolutionary step to ensure that
elections are owned by the governed. Following
the lead of the federal government, and after
many stops and starts, City Council voted 29
to 12 in favour of banning donations from
corporations and trade unions to candidates
seeking municipal office in Toronto.
City Council also adopted additional
reforms that my staff and I had been
advocating for years, including a prohibition on
a candidate carrying over a financial surplus (or
a ‘war chest’) from one election to the next. In
the end, Mayor David Miller strongly summed
up the debate at City Council and solidified the
successful vote.
The lessons of this 8-year journey are plain.
First, persistence is a virtue, particularly when
one takes on vested interests who are opposed
to doing the right thing. Second, our work and
Council’s decision may well have ramifications
for all municipalities across Ontario, extending
the ethical revolution province-wide. And third,
there remains more to do, including the need
for independent oversight and enforcement of
the election rules by Elections Ontario.
I thank all of those who played a role in
this accomplishment, and I will continue to
push for more action from City Council and
the provincial government to create the most
progressive and fair-minded model for election
finance anywhere.
MICHAEL WALKER REPORT www.MichaelWalker.ca FEBRUARY 2010 – PAGE 1

D e v e l O P M E N T U P D A T E
CONSTRUCTION IN WARD 22…
LOCATION DESCRIPTION/ISSUES CURRENT STATUS
1955-1985 Yonge Street &
3 Belsize Drive
whole block between
Millwood & Belsize
1994-2008 Yonge Street &
17 Glebe Road West
dead-end street
2300 Yonge Street
(NW corner of Yonge & Eglinton)
Yonge Eglinton Mall
(WARD 16)
85-117 Eglinton Avenue East
whole block between
Dunfield & Lillian
620 Avenue Road &
215, 217 Lonsdale Road
in front of Upper Canada College
60-62 Oriole Road
54-74 Berwick Avenue &
191-211 Duplex Avenue
356-362 Spadina Road
New Orthodox Synagogue
1815 Yonge Street
at corner of Merton Street
299 Roehampton Avenue
643 Eglinton Avenue W.
Rebuilt Ambulance Station (EMS) at
Eglinton Avenue W. and
Chaplin Crescent
9 floor condominium with retail stores at ground
level – over height and density limits; lack of
transition into neighbourhood; vehicular access
should be on Yonge St. not on Belsize Dr.
14 floor condominium with retail stores at ground
level – well over height and density limits; shadow
issues on condo at 20 Glebe Road West.
Enclose open space with 3 floor retail building;
add 7 and 5 floors to top of two office towers;
reconfigure internal mall space – problem with
enclosing open space because area is deficient in
open/park space; over height/density limits
Twin 29 floor condominium towers with an 8 floor
podium containing large retail stores – well over
height and density limits; podium too big; lacking in
transition to the east; need more sidewalk setback
19 floors with 124 units (80 condominium and 44
rental); replacement of existing rental housing – no
transition into neighbourhood; shadow impact; over
height and density limits; traffic issues
4 floor apartment building with elevator; 18 rental
units for seniors only - commercial kitchen onsite
requires daily deliveries; delivery/loading & parking
garage access issues; depth of building issues;
massing issues; contrary to Official Plan
17 floor condominium transitions to 20, 3 floor
townhouses that wrap around corner; almost
complies completely with new Official Plan and
Zoning Bylaw for this SW quadrant of Yonge &
Eglinton (TTC bus lands)
4 floors; 21 parking spaces onsite; drop-off/delivery
circulation plan is good; keeping trees and adding
some;
24 floor condominium with townhouses at
ground level
14 floor condominium with townhouses at
ground level; terracing begins at 10 th floor;
infill redevelopment
Long-overdue new ambulance station to replace
old, deficient building; better design that hides the
parking spots; heritage brick façade to respect the
Fire Hall’s features next door (Forest Hill’s old Town
Hall); investigating putting ambulance exit doors on
Eglinton;
Filed in 2006; developer has re-submitted;
Community Meeting this spring regarding
Final Report
Filed in 2006; developer has re-submitted;
Community Meeting this spring regarding
Final Report
Filed in April 2009; Local resident group
seminar in Nov. 2009 recommended against
enclosing open space; developer has resubmitted;
Community Meeting held Feb. 2;
Final Report at March City Council meeting
Filed in 2008; developer has re-submitted;
Community Meeting this spring regarding
Final Report
Refused by City Council; Approved by
an all-party mediated settlement at the
Ontario Municipal Board in January 2010
Refused by Committee of Adjustment
in March 2009; Appealed to the Ontario
Municipal Board; Re-Zoning Application
also appealed to Ontario Municipal Board;
hearing is April 6, 2010.
Filed in 2007; Local residents played a major
role in changes to proposal; Community
Meeting this spring regarding Final Report
Approved by Committee of Adjustment in
2008
Approved by City Council in 2008;
City directing Section 37 community
benefits toward upgraded, fully accessible
playground for all children, “Neshama”, in
Oriole Park
Approved by City Council in 2008; City
directing Section 37 community benefits
($500,000) toward new playing field at
Northern Secondary School which will be
open to the public
Demolition and soil remediation occurred
throughout 2009; Committee of Adjustment
approved parking space for ambulance staff
near a public lane; Community Meeting was
held in October 2009; to be completed this
year.
MICHAEL WALKER REPORT www.MichaelWalker.ca FEBRUARY 2010 – PAGE 2

T E N A N T S ’ r i G H T S
TENANTS STILL NOT GETTING A FAIR DEAL
Most recently, I had City Council pass
a resolution calling for the Provincial
government to fulfill its election promise
to restore real rent control by eliminating
“vacancy decontrol”. Vacancy decontrol
allows a landlord to raise a unit’s rent up
to any amount once a tenant moves out.
In addition to driving up the cost of rental
housing, this permission encourages some
landlords or property managers to discourage
long-time tenants from staying in order to
increase the rent. As one tenant told me
recently, “Mistreatment of a tenant can start
subtly enough – ignoring a malfunctioning
appliance, say. But they can, and do, escalate
to actual abuse. I can personally, painfully,
attest to this.”
Smart Meters are another problem
for most tenants because the Province’s
irresponsible implementation is unfair and has
been resulting in escalated rents. Although I
wish it wasn’t the case, the primary effect
of the Provincial government’s Smart Meters
program is not energy conservation, but a
5%-15% increase in profit for a landlord.
Each year, on average, 15% of the tenants
change in a building; so, in effect, after just 7
years the landlord has all new tenants at new
rents. This occurs because vacancy decontrol
allows the rent to be reset to a pre-Smart
Meter rate after a Smart Metered-tenant
moves out. This scheme allows a landlord to
externalize all energy costs.
Tenants represent more than half of
the residents of St. Paul’s and many see
their quality of life declining, particularly
in a recession with low vacancy rates. In
my opinion, the City and the Provincial
government are not doing enough for
tenants. We need to push the Province and
City to do the following:
••
Eliminate vacancy decontrol;
I continue to be focused
on the fight for tenants’
rights in our ward, our city
and our province.
••
Address the loss of affordable
housing created by vacancy decontrol,
conversion or demolition;
••
Make the Landlord Tenant Board more
fair, accessible and responsive to
tenants’ needs;
••
implement eviction protection policies,
especially for Toronto Housing tenants;
••
Fight against the loss of amenity and
green space currently experienced by
tenants as landlords try to build more
housing on the property;
••
Stop the installation of Smart Meters
D e v e l O P M e N T U P D a t e
until it is fair to tenants and not a
profit windfall for the landlord;
••
Legislate the implementation
of recycling in apartments and
condominiums, especially new
buildings;
••
Effectively prevent landlords from
charging a fee for visitor parking;
••
Amend the Residential Tenancies Act
to require all landlords to establish a
Capital Reserve Fund to responsibly
deal with future capital improvements
on their buildings; and
••
Pursue licensing landlords conditional
on their performance in relation to
maintenance, security and service
standards.
Please contact your MPP (www.
EricHoskins.ca or 416.656.0943) and
the Mayor (mayor_miller@toronto.ca or
416.397.CITY[2489]) to tell them we need
action for tenants now.
IMPORTANT: After some prodding, the City
is now also offering grants to qualifying
tenants’ associations that are fighting their
landlord’s illegal/improper installation
of Smart Meters. For more information,
please contact my office or the Federation
of Metro Tenants Associations (FMTA) at
www.TorontoTenants.org or 416.921.9494.
TDSB SELLING OFF DaviSVILLE JUNIOR
PUBLIC SCHOOL?
Last fall, the Toronto District School Board
(TDSB) identified 36 schools “at risk” of
closing or requiring major programming
adjustments. These schools are currently
being examined by the School Board in
the form of an Accommodation Review
Committee, (ARC) which looks at a cluster
of schools and determines whether some
should close, expand or alter programming.
Although not listed as one of the original 36
“at risk” schools, there is now a review in our
area that includes Davisville Jr. Public School,
Hodgson Senior Public School, Maurice Cody
Public School, Eglinton Junior Public School
and Spectrum Alternative Senior School.
The School Board has a problem with
funding. Its latest proposal to reduce its
structural capital budget shortfall is to
generate money from selling its land. More
specifically, it is considering selling off all or
part of Davisville Junior Public School because
of its real estate value (approximately $30
million) and its large size (the 3.8 acres
presently offers a good sized playground
for the students). As part of its Strategic
Plan 2009-2010, the TDSB added a specific
“Redevelopment Project” ARC for Davisville
Jr. P.S. and other nearby schools.
I am in disagreement with this process.
I do not support a plan that puts real
estate interests above student interests
and predetermines the outcome. I am also
dismayed at the lack of communication with
the community. Many people on Millwood
Road have no idea that the TDSB is thinking
of selling its land to a developer who could
build condominiums. I have been contacted
by a group of parents, some of whom are
members of Davisville’s Parent Council, who
are very concerned about what could happen
to their children’s education, as well as the
potential impacts of a redevelopment on
these public lands. Collectively, the parents
have written the TDSB with their many
questions and concerns and are now awaiting
the answers.
If you live near the school east of
Yonge Street, please contact:
www.SouthEglinton.com.
If you live west of Yonge Street, please
contact:
www.OrioleParkAssociation.com.
You are always welcome to contact my
office.
MICHAEL WALKER REPORT www.MichaelWalker.ca FEBRUARY 2010 – PAGE 3

The Capital Budget component of the $11.5
Billion total budget is $2.5 Billion – an
amount that has increased by 157% since
2003 when it was just $965 million. While it
is essential that the City invest in its future,
it seems to me that transit is receiving a
disproportionate share to the detriment
of areas such as capital maintenance (i.e.
heritage structures; road reconstruction),
community centres, ice rinks, homes for
the aged, social housing, parks and forestry
services. The TTC received at least half of the
total Capital Budget in 2007, 2008, 2009
and 2010.
This year, the City decided to sell off
the last $600 million of the Toronto Hydro
bond that paid us $60 million in interest per
year. This was a short sighted decision that
I opposed. I also opposed the City taking
on even more debt; we have committed
Montclair Parkette (Northeast corner of
Montclair Avenue and Spadina Road)
Over the past 2 years, my Executive Assistant, Chris Sellors, has been
working with the Forest Hill Business Improvement Area (BIA) and
City staff to renew this well used parkette. The public consultation
meeting held October 6 th was well attended and everyone voiced
their strong support for the project while giving suggestions on how
to make it even better. The parkette will keep its trees and new
“graffiti-proof” benches and tables, and sitting areas will be made
along a wider pathway through the park; low-level accent lighting will
be solar powered by panels on the site; and a new “Forest Hill Village”
sign will adorn the corner. Construction will start in spring of 2010.
B U D G E T
CITY BUDGET: PILE ON THE DEBT
future City Councils to additional interest ••
Whether Departments have reduced their
payments of $1.6 Billion, by now amortizing budgets by the requested 5%; (the Police
our debt over 30 years instead of 10 years. Budget is proposed to rise by 6%)
Today, the City owes almost $4 Billion and ••
Whether user fees increase and whether
cannot borrow more.
new user fees are implemented;
••
Whether sufficient funding is targeted
The proposed City Budget toward Forestry to better maintain our trees;
for 2010 totals
••
Whether Licensing & Standards receives
approximately $11.5 Billion funding to conduct more property
inspections;
••
Whether Transportation Services is
adequately funded to better deal with the
snow or adequately enforce the Anti-
Idling Bylaw (we have no staff devoted to
enforcing the Anti-Idling Bylaw)
The Operating Budget component
of the overall budget for 2010 totals $9
Billion. That proposed Operating Budget will
be presented to the public by the Mayor
and Budget Chief on February 16th. One
of the largest single costs in the Operating
Budget is the City’s debt servicing payment
which is expected to be approximately $500
million. On your behalf, I will be focused on
a number of important questions:
G r e e N S P a c e S
••
Whether we can fix the inherent conflict
in the funding of the Community Planning
Division since it is funded entirely by fees
collected from development applications
and permits.
LOCAL PARK IMPROVEMENTS
The more development we get, the more quality open spaces we will need.
NEW: Dunfield Parkette (Northeast corner of
Soudan Avenue and Dunfield Avenue)
This 10,000 sq.ft. parkette will be a welcome addition to South
Eglinton, which is park-deficient. The City was given the new land
as part of the development approval of the new seniors residence on
Dunfield Ave. City staff generated concepts that residents chose from
at the public consultation meeting I held on February 8. Currently,
the concept includes an accessible playground structure for children
2-6 years old; benches and sitting areas; a new retaining wall feature;
security lighting; and a water fountain. The existing trees will be kept
and more will be added. Since this is a new green space, we will be
holding a public contest for its naming at a later date.
P a r k i N G F O R L O c a l S H O P S
Added Parking for Mt. Pleasant and
Bayview Avenue
October 2009 – Official Opening of the new underground public
parking lot on Mt. Pleasant Rd. at Manor Rd. E. Since 2003, we have
worked with the Toronto Parking Authority (TPA) to add well over 100
parking spaces to Mt. Pleasant Road and Bayview Avenue to sustain
the business community and keep the customer parking off our
neighbourhood streets as much as possible.
(L-R: Mrs. Yolanda Abbey, Brian Abbey (Pres. of South Eglinton Residents’
Association), Chris Sellors, Michael Walker, Lorne Persiko (TPA), Ron Y. Tsin
(Chair of TPA), Sheldon Rosen, Corey Lawrence (of the newly formed Mt.
Pleasant Business Association (BIA)).
MICHAEL WALKER REPORT www.MichaelWalker.ca FEBRUARY 2010 – PAGE 4

When:
Where:
NOTICE:
Ward-Wide Public Meeting
New City of Toronto Zoning Bylaw
Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.
north Toronto Memorial Community Centre,
Multi-Purpose Room, 200 Eglinton Avenue West
I invite you and your neighbours to a ward-wide public meeting regarding the draft new city-wide
Zoning Bylaw. Mr. Joe D’Abramo, Director of the City’s Zoning Bylaw Project (ZoningProject@
toronto.ca or 416.392.0194), will be in attendance to give a St. Paul’s-specific presentation
explaining the proposed changes and to answer your questions. I look forward to seeing you
at the meeting to discuss these changes together.
Background:
Ongoing since 2003, the Zoning Bylaw Project’s mandate is to combine the 43 zoning bylaws of the
6 pre-amalgamated cities – 34 of which are in Scarborough and 1 is in the Old City of Toronto (I’ve never
been convinced that the Old City of Toronto’s singular bylaw should be compromised by combining it with
42 others). Astoundingly, the City did not begin consulting with the public until 2009, after the first draft
was written.
The first phase of this project was always identified as “harmonization.” I was quite taken aback when
I realized last spring that City Planning’s long-awaited proposed new citywide Zoning Bylaw is not only
the expected “harmonization” of the terminology and mapping but it truly is a redefinition of what is
allowable “as of right” in our low density neighbourhoods. Quite simply, as it is proposed, it allows
substantially bigger houses. I believe this new Zoning Bylaw violates the Official Plan’s most basic principle:
intensification in our Neighbourhoods is not allowed.
Subsequent to the two ward-wide public meetings my office held on this subject last June, I am still
deeply concerned that the new bylaw will create new planning problems for our stable neighbourhoods
while not fixing the problems in the old bylaw. For example, I have yet to receive sufficient justification
from City staff on the following proposed changes to the permissions of the City’s Zoning Bylaw:
• why is the height of a shed increasing from 4 metres to 5 metres?
• why are all St. Paul’s neighbourhoods being “up-zoned” to allow bigger dwellings (i.e. in Forest Hill you
will be able to build 43% larger; in Oriole Park, Deer Park, and South Eglinton, 17% larger)
• why will the height of a house be measured to the top of roof (as opposed to mid-point) thereby
encouraging 3-storey, flat roofed houses?
I have been meeting with representatives of residents’ groups, FoNTRA, People Plan Toronto
(PPT) and City Planning staff to get to the bottom of this proposed bylaw. If your residents’
group wishes to meet with City Planning staff on this issue, please contact my office.

S T A N D I N G U P F O R r e S I D E N T S
THE OFFICE (L - R): Chris Sellors, Andrew Steele-Moore, Councillor Walker,
Pierre D’Aoust, Bree St. Arnault.
are YOU A MEMBer OF YOUR
reSIDENTS’ GROUP?
My office is in frequent contact with the residents’ and tenants’ groups in St. Paul’s on
a range of issues, especially development issues. For information, please contact:
••
Deer Park – deerpark@sympatico.ca
••
Forest Hill – www.ForestHillAssociation.ca
••
Oriole Park – www.OrioleParkAssociation.com
••
Sherwood Park – www.SherwoodParkRA.com
••
South Eglinton/Davisville – www.SouthEglinton.com
••
Summerhill – www.SummerhillResidentsAssociation.com
••
FoNTRA (Federation of North Toronto Residents’ Associations; umbrella
group of 28 groups) – Co-Chairs: Peter Baker (416.932.8241) and George
Milbrandt (416.481.4190)
NOTE: If your area is not listed above or if you do not use the internet, please contact
my office for information as some groups do not have a website or general mailbox.
IMPORTANT NUMBERS
INFO Toronto & City Service Requests:....................... 311
Community Services Information:..................211
Police (Non-Emergency):..............416.808.2222
Police (53 Division):.......................416.808.5300
Parking Enforcement (Police):.......416.808.6600
Elder Abuse (Police):..................... 416.808.7040
Fraud (Police):............................... 416.808.7300
Identity Theft (Phonebusters):....1.888.495.8501
Fire Safety:.....................................416.338.9050
Public Health:................................. 416.338.7600
Tree Pruning:.................................. 416.338.8733
Road/Traffic Info:...........................416.599.9090
Prop. Tax & Water Bill Enquiry:..... 416.338.4829
Gas Emergency:.........................1.866.763.5427
Hydro Emergency:.........................416.222.3300
Water Emergency:.........................416.338.8888
Kids Helpline:..............................1.800.668.6868
Volunteer Toronto:.......................... 416.961.6888
Landlord and Tenant Board: .........416.645.8080
Ont. Works (Social Assistance):.....416.397.1800
Lawyer Referral Service:............... 416.947.3330
Ont. Human Rights Commission:...416.326.9511
MONThlY
OPINION POll
PLEASE CHECK
www.MichaelWalker.ca
every month to take part in a
new 5-question POLL about your
neighbourhood and your city.
YOUR TEAM
AT CITY HALL:
Michael Walker
416.392.7906
Fax: 416.392.0124
councillor_walker@toronto.ca
Toronto City Hall
100 Queen Street West, B26
Toronto, ON M5H 2N2
Executive Assistant
Chris Sellors
csellor@toronto.ca
Constituency Assistant
Pierre D'Aoust
416.338.5257
pdaoust@toronto.ca
Constituency Assistant
Bree St. Arnault
416.338.5252
bstarnau@toronto.ca
Federal Member of Parliament
Carolyn Bennett, MP
Constituency Office – 416.952.3990
1650 Yonge Street, Suite 103
Toronto, ON M4T 2A2
bennec@parl.gc.ca
www.carolynbennett.ca
Provincial Member of Parliament
Eric Hoskins, MPP
Constituency Office – 416.656.0943
803 St. Clair Ave. W.
ehoskins.mpp.co@liberal.ola.org
www.erichoskins.ca
Toronto District School Board
Josh Matlow
416.397.9162
josh.matlow@tdsb.on.ca
www.tdsb.on.ca
Toronto Catholic District School Board
Catherine Leblanc-Miller
416.512.3409
catherine.leblanc-miller@tcdsb.org
www. tcdsb.org
MICHAEL WALKER REPORT www.MichaelWalker.ca FEBRUARY 2010 – PAGE 6