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Service Cuts - City Manager's Recommendations

UPDATE - Read about the meeting and final decision here

Following July's Standing Committee meetings that heard from Consultants about potential service cuts, the City Manager was asked to report back to Council with recommendations.

The City Manager released a report of suggested service cuts to be considered by the Mayor's Executive Committee on Monday September 19th. The report lists dozens of cuts to key city services, and reccommends that other cuts be considered for the 2012, 2013 or 2014 budget process.

This report was considered by the Executive Committee on September 19. 

 


Suggested service cuts:

The report contains very little information about the expected savings from
the cuts, and very little information about the social, environmental and economic
impacts of the cuts to Toronto.

The City Manager recommended a number of service cuts to be made immediately, and a range of others to be considered in the future:

Cut or reduce the Toronto Environment Office - The consultants and City Manager are unclear, but suggest that all but the TEO could be eliminated with essential reporting functions distributed to other departments. The Consultants state that the TEO coordinates many environmental programs across the City, leverages grants and funds from other agencies and levels of government, and involves many volunteers and local businesses. It's not clear what could be cut or how the decision will be made as the reports provide almost no information. (See Appendix D, page 22, Item 46.)

Cut the Toronto Atmospheric Fund - The consultants and City Manager state that the City can eliminate TAF and internally manage this innovative fund that invests in keeping Toronto's air clean. But they also acknowledge that ending the endowment would reduce the City's capacity to respond to climate change, affect Toronto's reputation and innovation capacity while providing only one time savings. (See Appendix D, page 19, Item 41.)    

Cut Community Environment Days- Those these are recognized as popular and effective events, they are recommended for elimination. Community Environment Days link residents to a range of environmental services and divert tonnes of waste and hazardous material from landfill. Consultants note that funds from Stewardship Ontario may be reduced if hazardous waste collection decreases.  (See Appendix D, page 18, Item 39.)