THE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY OF MUSKOKA
ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE COMMITIEE
MEETING NO. AF-2-93
PLACE: Boardroom, District Administration Building
DATE: February 5, 1993
TIME: 9:30 a.m.
PRESENT: Committee Chair, R. House; District Chair, F. Miller; Members, M, Scott, B. Rogers, T. Pilger
ABSENT: D. Donnelly, J. Boyes
OFFICIALS PRESENT: B. Calvert, Chief Administrative Office
OTHERS PRESENT: District Councillors J. Young; M. Duman, Director of Finance; G. Plummer, Director of Muskoka Computer Centre; M. Bialkowski, Personnel Director; P. Peltomaki, Administrative Assistant
MINUTES
Moved by B. Rogers and seconded by M. Scott
THAT the minutes of the Administration and Finance Committee meeting of January 8, 1993 be confirmed.
Carried.
136-139 DISTRICT'S TELEPHONE·SYSTEM
Mr. Calvert advised that the initial reason for pursuing telephone alternatives was to enhance after hours capabilities and to reduce costs.
Mr. Plummer reviewed the benefits of the two options as outlined in his report. He stated that Option No. 1 was being recommended, as this system would allow District to simplify after hours and emergency calls as well as reduce costs. This option will also allow District staff to be more accessible to the general public. Office hours and pertinent information items can be programmed into the new system for the benefit of callers. Moved by B. Rogers and seconded by M. Scott 7/93 THAT the Administration and Finance Committee recommend to District Council that the District proceed with the tendering for Voice Processing at the District Office as described in option one of the report by the Director of the Muskoka Computer Centre dated January 28. 1993.
Carried. 140-145 COUNCILLOR EXPENSE POLICY
Mr. Calvert and Mr. Duman explained the present policy. After a brief discussion, it was agreed to continue the practice of only reimbursing District Councillors for travel expenses from their Muskoka residence to the District office based on a banding schedule of rates. If Councillors are required to attend extra meetings. they have the opportunity of submitting an invoice for the additional mileage.
Committee requested staff to review the mileaqe and banding schedule to determine the last amendment date. tr r-
Mr. Miller suggested that By-law 86-12 be amended to include a provision for reimbursing miieage costs to the Acting Chair or any District Councillor who is required to attend a function on behalf of the District Chair. Councillors also have the option of using a District vehicle.
146-148 COUNCILLOR COMPENSATION BY-LAW
Mr. Calvert explained that a by-law was required to permit Dlstrlct Councillors to receive remuneration. He noted that the present by-law was being amended to reflect a more generic form which would allow any adjustments to be made during budget deliberations.
Moved by M. Scott and seconded by B. Rogers
THAT by-law 93-8. a by-law to confirm District Councillors' remuneration, be forwarded to District Council on February 15. 1993 for three readings.
Carried.
149 FAIR TAX COMMISSION
Mr. Miller commented that figures provided in a table in the report supported District's concerns regarding tile unfairness of the apportionment of educational grants the Muskoka Board of Education receives from the Province. He felt it was important that District Council support the Muskoka Board in their initiatives to obtain a fairer percentage.
After a thorough discussion. it was agreed that members of the committee would take the issue back to their local municipality to seek a supportive resolution. All resolutions should be forwarded to Dan Waters, M.P.P. Muskoka-Georglan Bay with a request for action.
150-160 DISENTANGLEMENT - DRAFT AGREEMENT PHASE I
Several concerns were expressed by Mr. Miller and members of the Committee with regard to the draft Phase I Disentanglement Agreement.
Mr. Calvert recommended that a list of concerns or questions be prepared and forwarded to AMO for clarification.
Mr. Miller suggested that Council take a position on disintanglement to accept 1) program administration only if the District has control of policy, management, and hiring; and 2) not to manage programs that the District doesn't own. 1
Moved by B. Rogers and seconded by M. Scott 9/93
THAT the District Treasurer be requested to analyze the draft Phase I Disentanglement Agreement, as full detail becomes available, and bring back a recommendation to the Administration and Finance Committee on the position District Council should take on the draft agreement.
Carried.
161-164 ATIENDANCE REPORT - 1992 SHORT-TERM BENEFIT COSTS
Mr. Bialkowski distributed and highlighted his Absenteeism and Short-term Benefit Costs report. He noted that the Wellness Program initiated at The Pines has had a significant effect on the number of days lost to illness by employees at The Pines.
INFORMATION ITEMS
The following items were provided for Committee's information.
165-169 a) Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 170-173 b) 9-1-1 Service in Ontario 174-177 c) Provincial Municipal Relations 178 d) Correspondence - National Transportation Agency of Canada 179 e) Bracebridge Agricultural Society Request for Grant 180-183 f) Tax Talk 184 g) Bell Canada's Neighbourhood Calling Plan (NCP) 185 h) Correspondence from OPSEU re Disentanglement NEW BUSINESS
Councillor Pilger requested that staff prepare a report for a future meeting regarding building security, I.e. who has access and during what times; who monitors access availability to the bUilding when doors are open between the District, Health Unit and Board of Education offices; and what happens on District Council nights when the doors are left unlocked.
ADJOURNMENT
Moved by B. Rogers and seconded by M. Scott
THAT we do now adjourn until February 19, 1993 at 9:30 a.m. or the call of the Chair.
Carried.
Chair, Administration &Finance Committee Distriet~ January 28. 1993
TO: Administration and Finance Committee
FROM: Geoff Plummer
SUBJECT: The District's telephone system
ORIGIN: As requested by the Administration and Finance Committee on January 8 1993 to evaluate alternate methods of providing telephone service for the District, with specific attention being taken to simplify the after hours emergency dial-In.
ANALYSIS: The District currently uses a PBX switch manufactured by Toshiba. ThIs switch, whIch was Installed In 1988, hasthe capability of being upgraded to handle any of the following options. As with any device several options are open and we have tried to explore the onesthat will directly affect the waythe DIstrict presently services the public. The system as It Is currently configured handles all Incoming calls Inthe traditIonal manner Oe: via a central operator, with the exception of the General Welfare area), calls are then disbursed to the properdepartment or person. Under the new system this could change to one of the follOWing optIons.
Option 1: Part time voice processing
There are systems available which will allowthe District to: • handle phone calls when the office Is closed ~ eliminate the requirement for zenith emergency phone numbers or resultant listings replacing same with a new service which Is easier to use (1-800-entry) • transfer the caller to the requested department or allowthe caller to dial the known extension number • provide the option to the caller should the call not be answered either to - leave a voice mall message for that call or - select an alternate extension • Inthe event of an emergency to - record the call - contactthe designated person - should the Initial contact fall the system will contact the alternate (repeated for up to three alternates), to accept an emergency callthe designated person MUST InpUt the correct access code indicating to the system that this Is the correctparty
Under this scenario, the District will be ableto eliminate most If not all of the answering service requirements the zenith number and simplify the after hours dial-In. The zenith number Is replaced with a new service called 1-800 entry. This allows Bala, Port Carling and Mact1er to contact the District toll free. This will also have the added benefit of making the District more accessible to the public. Financial: (projected)
The cost of Installation for this option is as follows: 2 port 2.5 hr message storage Voice Mall System 11,100.00 Upgrade required to the current pbx switch 4,500.00 Total cost for option 1 (Tax in) $15,600.00
Example Costing:
Total amount to be capitalized $15,600.00
Operating cost: Maintenance (estimated - monthly) $50.00 Tax MQ. Total monthly $55.50
Annual operating cost $666.00 Annual amortization expense (based on 5 yrs at 9%) 3,900·00 Total annual operating expense $4,566.00
Savings: Each year for the first fIVe years: Projected annual savings (from the elimination of the answering service) $6,000.14 Projected annual operating cost 4,566.00 Projected savings $1,434.14
For subsequent years: Projected annual savings $6,000.14 Projected annual operating cost 5.QQ. Projected savings $5,334.14
/37 Option 2: Part time voice processing (including Direct Inward Dialling· DID)
This option includes all the advantages of option 1 plus the additional ability to call In direct to the department (DID).
As with option 1 the District will be able to eliminate most If not all the requirements for the telephone answering service and the zenith number. The caller will have more and faster access to District staff.
Financial: (projected)
The cost of Installation for this option Is as follows: 2 port 2.5 hr message storage Voice Mall System 11,100.00 Upgrade required to the current pbx switch 5,800.00 Total cost for option 1 (Tax In) $16,900,00
The monthly operating cost for DID Is dependent upon the number of DID's that are requested. Should every employee have DID access the cost wlll be approximately 1,000.00 per month. Should DID access be considered for each department (two or three Unes) the cost would be approximately $360.00 per month. DID access Is not available to callers using the toll free numbers.
Example Costing:
Total amount to be capitalized $1i5,900.oo
Operating cost: Maintenance (estimated· monthly) $ 50.00 DID cost per month based on 3 additional trunks and 30 DID numbers 360.00 Tax §J.Q. Total monthly $455.10
Annual operating cost $5,461.20 Annual amortization expense (based on 5 yrs at 9%) 4.210.00 Total annual operating ex~n.. $9,871.20
Savings: Each yearfor the first five years: Projected annual savings (from the elimination of the answering service) $6,000.14 Projected annual operating cost 9,671.20 Projected additional cost $3,871.08
For subsequent years: Projected annual savings $6,000.14 Projected annual operating cost 5,461.20 Projected savings $538.94 SUMMARY: Muskoka is in an area which still does not benefit from all the latest advancements offered by Bell Canada. When this report was initiated it was written with the impression that Bell could provide the service that we had discussed with them. As it turns out this did not happen and we had to re-think how this could work, The above options have been verified by Bell and they indicated to us will function as described. The voice processing capability has also been verified by our telephone supplier (MTN). The DID service does have a restriction as callers using the toll-free numbers cannot use DID Both local and long-distance callers can use DID. The percentage of Muskoka based callers using the toll free service is high in relation to the total number of calls received at the District. Since there is a significant proportion the effectiveness of DID is suspect. Currently the only alternative for those callers should they wish to use the DID service is to call in on regular long distance.
RECOMMENDATION: THAT the Administration and Finance Committee recommend to District Council that the District proceed with the tendering for Voice Processing at the District Office as described in option one of the report by the Director of the Muskoka Computer Center dated January 28, 1993.
Respectfully Submitted /"J I
Geoff P u er, Director Muskoka Computer Center Note: Agenda Item 3.
In the early years, District Council agreed that Councillors would not be reimbursed for expenses Incurred for performing theirdutIes within the boundaries of Muskoka as a District Councillor or a member of a committee. In lieu of reimbursement of expenses, each Councillor would be paid an annual remuneration for which one-thlrd would be deemed to cover expenses as set out In the Municipal Act. An annual travel allowance would also be paid to each Councillor based on a banding schedule of rates determined by the number of miles from the District office.
The attached by-law authorized the implementation of thl$ polley. Although not defined in the by-law, the polley of the District Is to provide meals to Councillors where the meal is taken either during the meeting or between two back-to-back meetings O.e. morning meeting and afternoon meeting or afternoon meeting and ewnlng meeting). In addition to the aboJe, Council agreed to reimburse any Councillor that submitted a bill shONIng thatthe number of kilometres travelled to meetings, that he was authorized to attend, exceeded the number that would be covered underthe al10Nance aboJe. ....
Act:on [] LJ January 22, 1993 ~ o o o Mr Frank S. Miller, P Eng. o District Chair o District of Municipality of Muskoka o 10 Pine Street o Bracebridge, Ontario [J PIL IN3 o [J Comments Dear Frank: I request that District review the policy with respect to expenses for overnight accommodation as a result of back to back meetings of District comm.ittees or council when excessive travel time makes it impractical for a councillor to return to his home. The need for overnight accommodation can apply to any councillor but particularly applies to those who are seasonal residents and have no access to their Muskoka properties from November to April because they are either water access properties or are serviced by seasonally maintained roads. Sixty-nine percent of all Muskoka ratepayers are seasonal residents and almost half of these have no access to their properties from November to April. In my case I live in Toronto from November to April and must make a 4 1/2 hour return trip every time I go to Bracebridge. Although I accept the cost of this extra driving , I do not believe that attendence of District meetings should be a driver endurance test. The precedent of extra expense has already been made in the case of councillors attending meetings on Monday prior to District Council in the evening. These councillors have their supper paid by the District.
During my first term of council consi deret t cn was given to the minimizing of a councillors travel time by holding longer meetings or where possible scheduling two meetings on the same day. This term there are shorter and more frequent meetings, and often the agenda is not completed. For example, the Operational Review Committee has had to postpone and reschedule departments on more than one occasion. Considering that staff were all prepared for that particular day , the meeting should have been scheduled for the entire day. Although my major travel I ing time probl em is because I am a seasonal resident who has a summer only access property, my summer commuting. time to Bracebridge is 2 hours and fifteen minutes over private and public roads.
RECEiVEO JAN 2 8 1993 During the week of January 18 to 22, 1993 I made my usual two trips to Bracebridge from Toronto for a total travel time of nine hours If I had not stayed overnight in Bracebridge on Monday night ,I would have had to travel over 13 hours which I believe to be excessive for a part time council position. I urge that action be taken now to reduce all councillor,s travel time by the improved schedul ing of meetings and by giving a councillor the option of staying overnight when it is impractical because of excessive travel time to return home. To do nothing will seriously limit the representation of those councillors who must travel long distances to Bracebridge.
Sincerely.
Guy V Crombie P Eng. District Councillor District Municipality of Muskoka THE DISTRIcr MUNICIPALITY OF MUSKOKA
BY-lAW 00. 86-12
A by-law to authorize remuneration and reUtibursement of expenses of Council Members.
r WHEREAS pursuant to section 15 of the District Municipality of Muskoka Act, R.S.O. 1980, c. 302, as amended, District Council may authorize the payment of remineration to the members of Council.
/ AND WHEREAS pursuant to section 15 of the District Municipality of Muskoka Act and section 239 of the Municipal Act, District Council may authorize the payment of specified amounts in lieu of actual expenses incurred where, in the opinion of Council such specified arrounts reasonably reflect the actual expenses incurred.
AND WHEREAS it is deemed apprq>riate to reinhlrse councillors for expenses incurred in the course of their duties and to remunerate councillors for their services.
NOW THEREFORE the Council of the District Municipality of Muskoka ENACI'S AS mILCH):
1. That the Chairman of the District Council be paid at the rate of $32,204.52 per annum effective January 1st, 1986.
2. 'I11at all other members of District Council be paid at the rate of $5,316.11 per annl.ltl effective January 1, 1986.
3. That the members of District Council shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred for travel to and fran Council meetings in accordance with Schedule "Art hereto. , 4. 'l1lat all payments authorized by this by-law shall be payable in twelve (12) equal installments. Each such payment shall be made on the last day of each IOOllth. 5. That any payments made on or after January 31st, 1986 in accordance ) with the tenns of this by-law shall be deemed to have been properly ( authorized. 6. That any of the arrounts set forth in this by-law may be amended by .... a resolution supported by a two third's majority of District Council. (Rates in Clauses 1 & 2 above were amended by A&F resolution 23/89 7. That By-law 85-29 be and is hereby repealed.
8. That this by-law shall came into force and take effect on the date that it receives third reading. READ A FIRST TIME: Feb. 3/ 8 6
READ A SECOOD TIME: Feb. 3/86
'mE DISTRICI' folJNICIPALITY OF KJSI{()(A ~~ Chairman ~C~
READ A 1.lURD TIME AND FINALLY PASSED: Feb. 3/86
WE DISTRICI' MUNICIPALITY OF:Z.~ ~ 4C- Chainnan
/ 'd. Y ' / SCHEDULE ''I': TO BY-LAN NO. 86-12
Gord Adams $1010.00 Darwin Baker 1515.00 Robert Betts 1010.00 Jim Boyes 375.00 George Brodie 375.00 Guy Crombie 1515.00 Doris Donnelly 1515.00 John Earl 1010.00 Bruce Fulford 1010.00 Bill Glennie 375.00 Russ Harvey 1010.00 Ron House 1010.00 Jim Lang 375.00 Ernie Martin 1515.00 Terry McFadden 1010.00 Terry Pilger 1010.00 Sylvia Purdon 1010.00 Bill Rogers 1010.00 Bill Schell 1010.00 Det Schumacher 1010.00 Malcolm Scott 1010.00 John Young 1010.00 NOTES: Agenda item 4.
In 1992. District Council decided not to Increase Councils remuneration. ~ a result, there 'NaS no resolution passed to reflect the membership changes In Council as required under the by-law. The attached proposed by-law Is more generic and will CCNer the owrslght of 1992 and will enable changes to be made to Councillor's remuneration In conjunction with the budgetwithout having to amend the by-law. '!HE DIS'IRIcr MJNICIPALI'IY OF KEI BY-lAW 00. 93-8 Being a by-law to confirm renuneratioo to JOOll'i'ers of eourx:il WHERFM) p.tt"SUant to sectioo 17(3) of '!he District JoolJni.cipality of !ollskoka Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. D.14 and sectioo 242 of the Hmicipal Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.45, District Council may pass by-laws for payi..nq l:'E!IIlll'leratioo to the l!IE!DiJers of couooil; AND WHERE:AS pn:suant to the said sectioo 17(3) of ~ District!lJnicipality of MJskoka Act am secti.al. 243 of the lolmicipal Act, District council may by by law, provide far the paynent of ~ified annmts to re-.iJIbIrse menters of cnmcil for expenses incurred by ma:nbers while acting in the oourse of tbrlr duties; AND WHEREAS su:::h anounts have historically been set as part of the annual l:u3get process; AND WHEREAS it 1s desirable to cxnfiJ:m, ani ~ settirq sucn aDDlmts as part of the ~ process; 'l1'IERE:FtR the ctuxd1 of 'lhe District lb'rlcipality of !t.Bkcka m1tClS AS 1. Me1ItJers of District camcil inclming the District 01air shall cxntinue to be paid reDUl'lel'atim for their services as jlejutexs of Q:Juncil. 2. '!he a1lXU1ts payable shall be determined annually as part of the armual b.D1et p;oo:=:;s. Upcn final aRJI'O'Tcll of the ~, by District OJl1I'X:il, the a1OOUDt:s payable duri.rq the year for which the l:mget 8J;pUes shall be as set out in the said bJd:;Jet. 3. MeniJers of eooooil imluli.rg the District i.,,:// District council, the aJII:?UIlts payable during the ~ for which the bDget awlies shall be as set out in the said l::u:lget. 5. Unless otherwise expressly stated in the 1:ujget, the anotmts payable prrsuant to this by-law shall be retroactive to January 1 of the year for which the budget has been passed. 6. 'n1e arramts payable. pursuant; to this by-law shall be paid on a m:>nthly basis in acxx>rd.an:e with all awlicable District Policies aoo Procedures. 7. Nothing herein shall liJDit or be deem?d to liJDit the powers of District o:>uncil to pass specific by-la-ws with respect to the matters a 8. 'Ibis by-law shall care into force am take effect at the date it receives third read.iIY:J. READ A F'J:RSI' TlME: _ READ A SEXnID TIME: _ 'IRE DISlRIcr HJNICIPALI'lY OF HEI«J By By "=:'Cl=-erk---:------ READ A 'lHIRD TIME AND FINAILY PASSED: _ By=--..------C21air By=---:----,....-=~---- Clerk THE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY OF MUSKOKA 10PINE STREET, BRACEBRIOGE, ONTARIO P1l 1N3 -*----TELEPHONE (705)&45-2231 • FAX (705)&45-5319 MEMORANDUM To: Chair and Members of the Administration and Finance Committee From: John McRae Commissioner of Finance and Administration SUbject: Fair Tax Commission Date: January 27, 1993 Origin: Attached Is a summary of the recommendations contained In the report of The Property Tax Working Group. Analysis: The Property TaxWorking Group Is an Independent advisory body appointed by the Treasurer of Ontario to provide advice on local government finance reform options. It falls underthe umbrella of the Fair Tax Commission and was to answer the following questions: Is the current propertytax system capable of meeting the revenue requirements associated with local governments' and school boards' program delivery responsibilities? If not,what changes shoulcl be madeto the property tax system and/or otherfunding sources for local governments and/or school boards to Improve fairness In their revenue raising reqUirements? Although there areforty-elght recommendations Included In the report, there Is no clear direction on tax reform but simplya number of things to look at and studywhen considering tax reform. Included Is a Minority Report prepared by those members of the group who were not In agreement withthe maJority. Recommendation: There Is no action, recommended, this Is for Information only and If any councillorwishes a copy of the full report I would be happy to provide one on request. Respectfully submitted. John McRae. Commissioner of Finance and Administration A \.~ recycled paoe THE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY OF MUSKOKA 10PINESTREET. BRACEBRIDGE. ONTARIO P1L1N3 -*----TELEPHONE (705)645-2231 • FAX(705)645-5319 January 27, 1992 TO: Chair and Members Administration and Finance Committee FROM: Bill Calvert Chief Administrative Officer SUBJECT: Disentanglement - Draft Agreement Phase I ORIGIN: Provincial-Municipal efforts to reform service responsibilities at the municipal and provincial levels overthe past year. ANALYSIS: The appended package, released jointly by AMO and the Provincial Government, describes in general terms the draft agreement reached on the first phase of disentanglement late last week. The draft agreement will soon be circulated to municipalities and A.M.O.will be organizing consultation sessions over the next two months or so to seek support. The Implications of this proposal are less complicated for Muskoka than other areas of the Province as the roads element of the draft agreement does not Invoive the District and the same Is true of the non-monetary element respecting Police Service Budgets. The Area Municipalities of Muskoka are not directly Impacted by the proposal. The bottom line for the District appears to be that. In 1994. we will be responsible for the purchase of basic property assessment services at an estimated cost of $1.3 million per annum in exchange for the Province assuming responsibility for paying 100% of General Welfare allo.vances which are estimated at $1.25 million. To achieve flscal neutrality (I.e. If the above quoted figures are confirmed), the Districts unconditional grants would be increased by the difference between $1.3 million and $1.25 million or $50,000 per annum in 1994. It should be noted that, under the proposed arrangements, the District would continue to contribute $600,000 next year to the remaining entangled General Welfare program elements such as Administration, Special Needs, Day Care and Homemakers. Area Municipalities and the Districtwould also be charged additional amounts for special assessment services requests. • 2 • RECOMMENDATION: THAT the District Treasurer be requested to analyze the draft Phase I Disentanglement Agreement, as full detail becomes available. and bring back a recommendation to the Administration and Finance Committee on the position District Council should take on the draft agreement. Bill Calvert Chief Administrative Office BC:pp /:?/ Attentic": 51lL C~IVERT, CLEPK-AD~lNrS1RATCR DT~TRICT ~UNICIPALlrY Of ~USKOKA RESION Ministry of Minist.ere des Municipal AffalrGG Aftall'l rl'Umlclpales AI.. d '.til ® M4.'d(I.....fII o.e.rIe Ontario January 22, 1993 The Headof Council: As you are a'Awe, AMO aDd the ProvinciaJ Government have been woctm, bard over the past yeu OIl what is known as discntanclemcat. Our cftbru are aimed at rcforminC theprovincial-local rdarionship to improve acc:ounllbility in service manaaement. func1in& and delive:y at the municipal and provincial levels. We're pleased to RpOIt thal1.ale last night we ~ 111 agreement OIl phasa oneof dbcnIaDC1emeat. The deQils oi thac dnI\ aareement lie set out in the i.tQCbcd press rdasc and aa:ompanyinc expWwory I\OU!$. Bdote the ANO's board of d.iJ'ecton sipS the final aireemeDt lor implementarioa on lanuazy 1. 199-'. AMO willsend copies or thednA apeemcnt to all munidpaJilies. and we·U be seekinl your suppon at a series of reciODal coosultarion sessions. SbouId you have any quesfjOftS about the ar.ached material. pIasc c::ali the association's office 11 (416) ~1S73. SiDcce1y. - John Harrison Da.veCooke Councillor; Township Minister of Municipal ofDe1hi AffaiJs Co-OWn. Disenlan,lemcnt SteainC Commiaee (PN;[ 1 OF 9) M:NISTRY OF MuNICIPAL AFFAIRS==;JANUARY 22, :993=;~F~~E 2 News release • '''~:ka..• ...... ~ Release: January 22. 1993 lb:a.tl nrQv1ocial-municigal arrmnent meaDS prQvirK'e to pay 10011 of ,..clCare aUowaDces TORONTO - The provincial government will pay 100 per cent of the cost of G<::nel"'..J Welfare Assistance allo't\uees ~it'.ning in January. 1994 under a draft ~t rea.clled iate last nieht by provincial and municipal politicians. In return, municipalities will assume certain other responsibilities now funded by the province but more properly under municipal jurisdiction. At a joint news oonf~ this mominS. Municipal Affairs MiJrister Dave Cooke and John Harrison, former president of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), said that the diaft agreement is a sign of &00<1 vJ1 and partnership between Uze two leveh of govetnmCllt. The agreement centres around a provinciaJ·mumcipeJ lnitiaDve known as DisenWlglemenL Mr. Hamson and Mr. Cooke, who ~ the Disc:ntaA&1ement SteeriOl Committee, outlined the draftacreemc:nt whic:b sets out a trade of te:SpOIlJiblliues between ~ two levds of lovemment- all aimed at &ChieWtl moreaccountable, efficient and effective govemmeoL The overlap, dupHcation and confusioD that results irom the province and municipalities cost sharing more than 100 scnices and proaBmS is no looler ar.cepcable, me c::o-c:hairs said. Disentangling these respoftSibillties will help people u."derstlnc who provides wbal services and who can be held accountable for them. Discnra.1glement also addresses the q~ons of which level of gO\'rtI1ment should set policies for a particular program o~ service. which is best suited to deliver it and which should fund it and how. . -nus is a very important agreement for municipalities t - Mr. Harrison said. -It means we will be able to budgetfor local priorities without having to woriy about massive welfare expenditures over which wehave no control.• -For many years, vimlally everyone with an interest in social assistan<:e prognms has apeed that the province should pay 100 pet cent of the cost of General weuare Assi.staDa: allowances. Now we'redoing it,· MI. Cooke said. -I am very pleased at what muniapalitie$ and the provincial govcnunent have been able to accompli1h ill less than a year. It is a nemendous and historic ~ement.- Municipalities now pay about 20 per a:m: of the cost of General 'Ne1tare AWtanee allowances, which ~ estimated to be at least $350 million in 1992, although the actUal year- (P"GE 2 Of ~) /53 MINISTRY Of HUNIClf'~l AffAIRS===JANliARY 22, 1~92==~PAGE 3 end figure is not yet known. While the funding arrangements will change, people who receive welfare will continue to receive the same level of service, from the same people, in the same way they do now. To help offset tlUs increased provincial expenditure, municipalities will assume funding responsibilities for property assessment services and certain provincial highways. Municipalities would pay tor property assessment services the provi~ currently funds. The government ""ill establish a Schedule IV agency that will deliver propcny assessment services, Under a Schedule IV agency, employees remain civil servants, and the terms and conditions of their employment continue to be determined by the cotleedve agreement with the Ontario Public Service Employ~ Union andlor Ontario Public Service guidelines and directives, The government plans to invite OPSEU and affected employees to consult the province as the legislation setting up the agency is developed. Counties and regions will become responsible for the l.'pkeep of some 2,200 kilometres of provincial highways that are more appropriately under municipal jurisdiction because they carry predominantly locaJ traffic. . . This agreemen''. also includes measures that will lead to an improved budietin& process for municipal poncinC services which gives municipal councils more flexibility in cteaIin& \Vim police budiets while ensuring adequate and effective policing, servio=s. At the same time, the provincial government would retain the tight to set province-wide policing startdards and ensure those standards are maintained. Unconditionai grants to municipalities would alSo be adjusted to help compensate for the increased provincial expendinne on welfare. This would en'sure that the trade-offof funding responsibilities is equal for municipalities and the province at the time of the alfecment. Neither the province noran)' individual municipality will have to raise taxes u a result of the Disentanc1ement asr=nenr. The Onwio government and AMO have been working togethet on the first phase of Disentanglement sinCe early 1992. The 12-member provincial-mW1icipal $ttCrinC committee aarecd early in the discussions that the province should provide 100 per <:aU funding of General Welfare Assistance allowances. Both leveJs of govemmeat believe that property taxes, which are regressive, should not fund an income redistributiort pfO&tlll1 such as general welfare alJowances. To offset this increased provincial expenditure. the steerina committee identified a number of areas in which municipalities could assume more pro&tam and funding respOnsibilities. . The Steering Committee set up expert panels to study general welfare assistance, roads. transit, property assessmene and police services budgets. The panels, which h.ad (P~GE 3 Of 9) MINISTRY Of H~NICIPAl AffAIRS===JANUARY 22. 19i3===PAGE 4 representauves from unions and community and client groups as well as provincial and municipal officials, developed options and consulted widely an".ong groups with an interest in these areas before making recommendations to the steering committee. The draft agreement reached last night is th~ result of that work. Before the Association's board of directors signs the final agreement for implementation on -January I, 1994, the Association will send copies of the draft agreement to ~ municipalities, and seek their support through a series oj regional consultation sessions. The co-chairs described the Disentanglement exercise as productive and indicative of what can be done on behalf of the public if governments work loiether. Mr. Cooke and Mr. Harrison said they have developed a better understanding of each government's perspectives dl!ring the past year, adding that this ireater understanding will lead to a more harmonious and productive relationship in the future. They said &he success \)f this phase augurs well for future phases of Disentallglemenc. Phase Two is expected to bqin after the ti.nal agreement on Phase One is concluded. ·30 - For more information, please contact: Michael Jordan or Debbie Oakley, Provincial-Local Relations secretariat, (416) S85-7320 Bob Foulds, Chief Administrative Officer, County of Kent, (519) 351·1010 Doug Raven, Association of Municipalities of Ontario, (416) 929-7S73 Sine Ma~Kinnon, Office of the Minister of Municipal AffaUS (416) 585-7000 :PAGE 4 Of 9) MINISTRY Of MUNICiPAL AFFAIRS===JANUARY 22, 1593===PAGE 5 ELEMENTS OF THE AGREEMENT General Welfare Allowances The provincial government will pay 100 per cent of the general welfare allowances paid to people on social assistance. Cities, counties and relional governments now pay about 20 per cent. estimated to be at least 5350 million in 1992 (the actual year-end figure is not yet known.) The a,reement will chan~ neither the way welfare services are delivered, nor the people who deliver them. People who receive welfare wiU continue to receive the same assis1ance, from the same people, in the same way they do now. As part of the agreement, munidpalities that deliver welfare will sign interim service agreements intended to protect current levels of service (special assistance, supplementary aid, ete.). Administrative costs will continue to be cost-shared by the province and municipalities. These agreements .would remain in effect until the provincial government proclaims tqis1ation for broader social assistance reform. The province will consult mUnicipalities on social assistance delivery options before introducing new social assi~ lqislatiOll. Roads About 2,200 kilometres of what are now classified as provincial highways will become the responsibility of the counties and regions through which they run. For the most part, these are highways which. because of the OpeNnC of new multi-lane freeways, are now being used mainly as kJcal roads. For example, much of Highway 2 in ea$tem Ontario is used only for local travel, while through traffic is carried by Highway 401. Provincial sMnCS as a result of this transfer of responsibility are estimated at about S40 mDIIoa a YffU. The province has aarced to continue subsidizing municipal roads and municipal roads administration costs in 1993/94 at current levels. Municipalities will pay for property assessment services curreody funded by the Ontario Minislry of Revenue. At the same time. municipalities will take control of the de1ivcry of the services. Thae's in keeping with the djsentan~ment principle that decision-making for service delivery shouJd be the responsibility of the level of government that fully fir.ances the service. (PAGE 5 Of 9) MINlSTl~r' Of MiJNICIPAl AfFAIRS===JANUARY 22. 1993===PAGE 6 The government will establish a Schedule N agency that will deliver property assessment services. Under a Schedule IV agency, employees remain civil servants, and the terms and concitions of their employment condaue to be determined by the ccllective agreement wich the Ontarto Public Service Employees Union and/or Ontario Public Service auideline-t and directives, The government plans to invite OPSEU and affected employees to consult the province as the legislation setting up the agency is developed. The municipal sector would hold a majority of seats on the aaency's board of directors, The province will continue to set over-all policy on proptrty assessment. Provincial savings as a result of this change are estimated at about $13$ miWOD. UncondltiQnal Grants to Munidpalitla The annual unconditional provincial grants to municip.tlitie.t would be reduced by $16S million. effective Jan. 1/94. The grants will be adjusted municipality by municipality to ensure that no municiP:l1ity wi1J have to raise its taxes because of disentanglement. NON-M0tmTARY ELEM'END Police Senic:f$ Bacf&ets The PoliceServices A Joint plaon'. As part of the agreement, the province and municipalitia have agreed to i1o!d an annual joint planninr meeting of key Cabinet members and AMO repr~raLives to discuss matters of interest CO municipal govtmment. For discussion at that meeting, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs will undert.1ke an analysis of the cumulative impact on municipalities ofprovincial policy and program changes made in the previous year. (PAGE 6 Of 9) /57 MINISTRY 0F HUNICIPAl AFFAIP.~==~JANUARY 22. 1993===PAGE 7 DISENTANGLEMENT FACT SHEET • What is dbeotan&lement? Disentanglement is the process of chan~jnl and claritying provincial and municipal roles and responsibilities in providing services to the public. • '\'by do we need dIsentaDllement? The provinceand municipalities share responsibility for more than 100 services, leading to overlap, duplication and confusion. Disentang!in& these responsibilities will help people understand who provides 'What service and who can be held accountable. Disentanglement also addresses the Questions of which level of government should set policies for a particular proiflIn or service, which is best suited to deliver it and which should fund it and how.: • How do we g~ about -disentangling'· The current maze of cost-sharing proJrams has developed over decades. Any changes to the existin& system will have to unfold within a series of phases. Phase one involves the review and analysis of general welfare assiSlanCe allowances, roads and transit, propeny assessment services and municipal po1ke services budgets. It Who is Jeadlnl this reCurm? Disentanglement i.t bein, Cuided by a 12-member Steeria& Commlttee composed of six Ontario cabinet ministers and siJt mu~icipa1 represen~ appOinted by AMO: Municipal Affairs Minister Dave Cooke, Co~uilitjand Soeia1 ~ Minister Marion Boyd, Environment Minister Ruth Grier, Treasurer Ilo)'d Laucbrta. Education Minist« TOD)' SUlpo; Transportation Minister GWes PouUot; and Corrcd.ional Services Minister David ChrIStopbenoD, f'or'nIer PIrliamefttary AMistu\t to the Treasurer; former AMO president Jolla Harrisoa, Metro Toronto Councillor Seott ea'alJer, AMO rmmediate Past Pre&"JIeIeII Cooper, AMO First VicePresident Mabel Doulbert)', AMO President1.ManiDae. and Waterloo Regional Chairman KeD SelDa,. Daye Cooke and John Hapison co-ehair tile committee. A COOrdinatiDI CommJUee advises the steering committee on all aspectS of the reform. It helps set stratecic direction. helps establish the mandate and composition of the expertpanels and helps to di!fU\e strategies for negotiations, consultation and communication. The Coordinating Committee is composed of senior officials from provincial ministries and municipalities. (PAGE 7 Of 9) MIN1ST~Y Of ~UNICIPAl ~Ff~IRS===JANUARY 22, 199j===PAGE 8 Since disentang1ina provincial and municipal shared services may affect the way in which some employees do their jobs, a Workforce Impact CommJttee was established to carefully consider any effects disentanglement might have on employees. Thu committee, chaired by Ontario Federation of Labour representative Don Collins, identified and analyzed how employees might be affected by change. Five expert panek were established to carefully study the areas under review: municipal roads, municipal transit, property ~eDt sen-x., Jeneral welfare assi.staDce and municipal police services budaett. Representatives from both the municipal sector and the province, as well as experts in each area, were brougnt together to review options for change. Options ranged from lca,in& the current system in place, to full provincial or municipal funding to slight modifications of the existina relationship. • What were the workJna principles1: 1'0 help the prOVincial and municipal partners neaotiate an.aanement, the Disentanglement Steering Committee developed a set of working prlnclpl~. The principles formed the basis for discussions and were an impoltantstep in helpinl the partners meet their objectives. while maintaininl standards in service and deliver)'. The working principles are summarized below: . Responsibility and authority should be determined by each Joventment's interest: the proportion of funding should be related to each government's level 01 authority and responsibility; the partners should not experience a greater share of (U1ancw responsibility; services aimed at redistributing income should not be financed from current municipal revenue sources; decision-makina for service delivery should be the responsibility of the level of government that finances ~ ~Mce; and ongoin. consultation and communication with employees and communities affected by this reform ~uld be encouraaed. • What was the lIP1sc&i tramework?": The q~on of the financial impact of disenta.,glement on both the province and individual munjppaJides had to be addressed early in negotialions. The partne....s agreed there would be no bie fmancial losers or wiMers *Sa result of disentanglement. They agreed, therefore, that if the province were to fully fund general welfare a11owances~·municipaJities would have to assume offsetting responsibilities for (undinl in other areas. (PAGE 8 or 9) ~ 0-_ ..--.Z lJ) -t ;;c -< o ..." :x c: ...... :z ("")...... Costs being: transferred from municipalities to the Province: OJ "J> r- :> Municipalities' 20" funding of General Wclfue Allowances, valued al $340 S340M -n -n million ...... :> ;;c l.O II II II ~. ~ ~ ~ Costs being transferred from the Province to municipalities: c ~ :> :Xl -< Property assessment services SUS M "-'...., Responsibility for certain highways actually serving primarily local traffic S40M ~A <.C' ...... , II .,II ~I6S M ""(j Reduction in provincial uncqnditional grants to municipalities > G"> r' 'D Net shift in funding responsibilities $ 0 :.-0 .....G) ~ ~ -\0 MEMORANDUM TO: Chair and Members Administration and Finance Committee FROM: Mark Bialkowski Director of Personnel SUBJECT: Absenteeism and 1992 Short Term Benefit Costs DATE: February 3, 1993 ORIGIN: The District acts as its own insurer for Short Term Disability Benefits and according to PP:15, we must maintain a procedure consistent with insurance industry standards. ANALYSIS: The following statistics are relevant for 1992: CATEGORY DISTRICT PINES Perfect Attenders 24 28 Near-perfect Attenders «three days) 22 10 Absenteeism Rate 2.1% 4.2% Cost per $100 of Payroll $1.85 $3.43 In 1991, we had 20 perfect attenders at the District and 14 at The Pines. Our broker advised that based on our gender and age mix, our costs would be 17% to 20% higher with a full insured plan. A survey of our Regional comparators shows an average absenteeism rate of 5% for District type operations, and 7% for homes for the aged. The Wellness program initiated at The Pines has reduced absenteeism from 7.4 percent in 1990 to 4.2 percent in 1992. The cost savings for replacement workers accruing from this program in the Dietary and Nursing departments is approximately $50,000. The appended report summarizes sick day usage for the period 1988-1992. - RECOMMENDATION None - a report for the information and use of this committee. MB:pp /6/ MEMORANDUM TO: ALL MEMBERS OF STAFF RE: WELLNESS PROGRAM FINAL RESULTS· 1992 FROM: STEVE O'NEILL DATE: FEBRUARY 4, 1993 Well, we've done itt For the first time in five years we dropped sick day usage below the 900 days mark. The third quarter of 1992 showed a drastic reduction, but this was offset by a disappointingly high number of days used in the first quarter. However the overall result is a strong indicator of a commitment to good health. The attached graphs demonstrate the comparative results. In addition, last year 13 people 1Iid~ not miss a day otwork due to illness, This year 28 employees had perfect attendance and 10 employees had a near perfect record of three days or less. Congratulations. Our goal for 1993 is to break the 700 day mark. THIS IS A GOAL WE - CAN ACHIEVE. LET'S DO IT !! THE PINES CENTRE FOR SENIORS SICK DAY U5AGE OUARTERLr REPORT~ 1988 - 1992 1711ST OTR E) ~n orR [0 3RO am ~ 4TH OIR 400 1 ~ V .//J r---t---f"..x.,..x,}-I-- _ ~\'~ ~ 300 1--1// A---4'V\;c~.; 200 I--V 100 \ r /' /' \ '" ' ...... A.d v / /I III IAAJ V ;( /1 III LAC. I 1/ / .a I\ \" ...' ....y I,:' ,:' <1 \\ 1I),o"),C! 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 ~ 1"-6 U1 o Ln o o o o I) I.:..J C) ...... (0 OJ CO ...... (0 OJ (1J 'l CI AJ to-- (1J (jJ to-- ...... (Q (.0 ru I/d· THE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY OF MUSKOKA 10PINE STFlEET. BRACEBRIDGE. ONTARIO P1 L 1N3 -*----TELEPHONE (705) 645-2231 • FAX(705)645-5319 MEMORANDUM To: Chair and Members Administration and Finance Committee From: John McRae Commissioner of Finance and Administration SUbject: Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Date: January 26. 1993 Origin: Request for a grant from The Ontario S.P.CA- copy attached. Analysis: The Ontario S.P.CA has made a request for a $5,000.00 grant from the District as our contribution to their $2 million 'Carlng Campaign.' The contribution can be made over five years. The protection for animals and animal shelters Is the responsibility of the area municipalities and other than a grant for large animal veterinarian services, the District has not been involved In this service. It is my understanding that the area municipalities provide animal control In various ways and some support the above group. but not all. It has been the Districts polley to not support groups that are also being supported by the area municipalities or groups that do not provide services to ail of Muskoka. It is my recommendation that the Ontario S.P.C.A. be advised that animal control Is the responsibility of the area municipalities and we are not in a position to give them financial support at this time. Submitted for your information, John McRae, Commissioner of Finance and Administration A '-1 recycled paper ...... ',. November 10, 1992 Mr. Bill Calvert Clerk-Administrator District Municipalityof Muskoka 10PineStreet Bracebrldge, Ontario P1L 1N3 Dear Mr. Calvert: Fou'ncJed in 1873, the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Ontario S.P. CAY Is the largest organization of Its kind In Canada. Todsy, Its 33 branches, 18 shelters, 4 clinics and 20 affJllates operate throughoutOntario. The Ontario S.P.C.A. Is the only animal organization legally authorized to enforce legislation pertaining to the prevention of crueltyto animals. Over Its 120 year history, the Society has been an Integralpart of communities throughout the prOVince prOViding meanIngful service to anImals as wei' as people. Thousands of Injured, abandonedand abused animals have received care and shelterfrom the Society. The adoptionprogram has allowed many of these animals to go to loving homes and enrich the lives of countless Individuals. Through education, Investigation and enforcement, the OntarioS.P.CA. provides 8 necessary public service. If the Society did not perform these functions, they would have to be undertaken by law enforcementor government agencies. Few otheragencies have the training or the resources to provide animals with protection, shelter and care. In times of Increasedresponsibility, the mandate and philosophy of the Society have remaineduncompromlsed. The Ontario S.P.CA.'s primarypurpose remains the protection of animals from cruelty. Working within the law and In co-opet8l/on with government, research, Industryand public representatives, the Ontario S.P.C.A strl\Ies to Improve conditions for animals while maintaining 8 balanced sensitivity toward both human and animalneeds. The work of the OntarioS.P.C.A Is funded by Its members and suppotters and carrled on by Its smallprofessional staff and dedicated volunteers. For theOm time In Its history, the Societyhas found It necessary to make a public appeal for funds through the $2 million ·CaringCampaign". In order to effectively carry out Itsmandate, several proJects beyond the resources of the organization require Immediate attention: • an Increase In the number of Animal Protection SetvfceInspectors • theprocurement of veterinary equipmentfor the clinics • the provision ofa humane education vehicle and relatfJd material • the establishment ofa computer network linking all animal shelters. Ontario Society For The Prevention OfCruelty To Animals 16640 Tonge Street, Newmarltet, Ontario L3T 4V8 (416) 898-7122. (416) 887-1684. hx (416) 853-8643 , J/ ./ • A 1l.f(J1< the A 11 i1Jll11s + We arepleased to Invite the DIstrict MunIcIpality of Muskoka to be a partner In the 'C8rfng Campaign'. Your particlpatlon will contributeIn a significantway to the Ontario S.P.CA and the programs and s8lVlces It offers to communities throughout the province. Our request Is for a grantof $5,000. Shouldyou choose, your grant may be payable over a five year period. The return onyour gift Is Immeasurable. Your special generosity and partnership will strengthen the Ontario S.P.CA and allow the Society to position Itsefffor anothercentury of vital community service. SIncerely, Wil/lam D. Mulholland Chalrman Caring Campaign WDM/rc encl. THE ONTARIO S.P.CA CARING CAMPAlGN The 'Carlng Campaign' Is the most Important fund raising Inltlatlve ever undertaken by the Ontario S.P.CA The OntarioS.P.CA, like manyother organizations, Is concerned with providing the best services while ensuring that Its decisions will allow It to remaln a vital and viable organization. The unique function of the SocietyIncorporates four specific areas: education, prevention, protection and enforcement. These functions and their complementary relationship with other community services such as the educational system and law enforcement agencies, make the OntarioS.P.CA and Its 'Carlng Campaign' especiallysignificant. The 'Carlng Campaign' was launchedalter considerable deliberation and plannIng. The Soc/etrls needs call for a program In SlCCess of $6 million, primarily In capital expansion. Following the conduct of a feasibility study, the 'Carlng Campaign'was Initiatedwhich comprises only those Items of the highestpriority which the public Is being asked to fund. This Is believed to be the most effective and responsible means of administering the pressing needs faced by the Society. The rationale for selecting the specmc needs to be addressed by the campaign Is based on strengthening the provincial body of the Ontario S.P.CA The campaign plan Is based on the deep conviction that the Identified objectives will enhance the actlvltles of the Society and enable It to continue providing necessaryanImal welfare programs and services. Funding for the Animal Protection Service, clinical equipment, educationand shelter computerization realize the Society's objective of ensuring continuedand Improvedservice throughoutOntario. Surpassing the minimum campaign goal of $2 million will allow theSociety to focus on Its secondary needs: capital expenses for shelterrefurbishment totaillng $415,000. The 'Carlng Campaign' Is designed to fortifyall areas. Focusing strictly on capital projects would dictate that only specmc Branches of the Society would stand to benefitfrom the campaign. Branch and Affiliate Boards of Directors consider the 'Carlng Campaign" to be an Investment In the future of the entire Society. The key elementof the "CarIng Campaign" Is the allocation of funds for the operation of the AnImal Protection Service (AP.S.). AddltlonalInspectors are required to allow the OntarioS.P.CA to take a moreproactiverole In education which Is the most effective means of preventing cruelty and abuse of animals. By conducting field Investigations the Ontario S.P. CA Is performing a necessarypUblicservice. In the pastyearalone, the AP.S. Investigated over 2,300 cases. Althoughenforcementof provincial legislation is a necessaryelement, education is the key to preventingcruelty to animals. Humane education Is an SlCceptionally Important aspect of an organization dedicated to the humane treatment of animals. The Ontario S.P.CA Is fully committedto humane education and must fulfil the responsibility to sensitize Its constituency, especiallythe children, to their role In the welfare of all /2 animals. Working In co-operetion with the school system provides an appropriate forum to promote a humane understanding that will benefit animals as well as mankind. In times of social andeconomic uncertainty, It Is Important to teach humane principles. Children must be given the opportunity to learn the basic concepts of humanity. The principles of caring, trust and respect for life are common to all beliefs and are fundamental to the development of future generations. This objective Is supported by an abundance of scientific evidence thatdemonstrates humane education results In Improved behaviour toward both humans and animals. The balance of thefUnding requirements Is for the procurement of equIpment to further enhance the efficiencyof the overall operation of the Society. The funding components of the campaign are consideredthe most crucial elements that can be addressed at this time. Each of these components will playa pivotal role In strengthening the Ontario S.P.CA and the vital community seNice It prOVides. The SocIety's mandate Is clear, but It requires the support of foundatJo~ to makeIt a continuing reality. As the Ontario S.P.CA fills a unique niche In our society, It maynot readily fall Into established areas of funding. We hope that you will take Into account the Importance and unique nature of the Ontario S.P.CA, and thatthese factors will encourage understanding and flexibility In your gMng. It Is our hope thatthe "Caring Campaign" can build new relationships and forge a strong partnership with the DistrictMunicipality of Muskoka. Bell Canada '''i> Fi'~ # Chairman Clerk Tr~2surer January 5, ..1993 C... :r;:~l,~:~r rer~vrnel II l€~'il o I1lJ'"J1 Sz";;::es o P~OiIC W"i\;'S o TO: REGIONAL MUNICIPALITIES, COUNTIES, P\anTl:'g o UNITED COUNTIES AND DISTRICTS or ONTARIO land Division o CO:T,~inee o Councd o SUBJECT: SUBSCRIBER BILLING FOR 9-1-1 Correspondence o Comments ,4 c...... <; .... " r , After a great deal of hard work on everyone'. part, we are very pleased to a~ounce that Bell ontario has sub.itted a filing to the Canadian Radio-Television Commission (CRTC) on Tuesday January 5,1993 for Universal 9-1-1 Service in ontario. Without your support, suggestion. and contribution, we could not have accomplished so much so quickly. Thi. has been a genuine team effort to bring a much needed service to Ontario communitie•• We'll certainly keep you advised of the status of the filinq. Once the CRTC make. its decision, we look forward to continuing our close association with you to bring Universal 9-1-1 Service to ontario. Thank you again for your participation and supportI Yours truly, Associate Director, 9-1-1 Emergency Service, ontario. Floor 3, 655 Bay Street, Toronto, ontario, M5G 2K4 416-353-8515 /7(; News PubicAffairs, Communications Bell Bel Ontario BeD Ontario Rles for Province-wide 9-1-1 Toronto, date - From Cornwall to Fort Frances, Rainy River to Pelee Island, Bell makes it possible for all Ontarians to access 9-1-1. Today, Bell filed an application with its regulator, the Canadi2n Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, that will enable all its Ontario customers to have access to 9-1-1 service by 1998. The plan calls for all residents served by Bell Ontario to have access to 9-1-1 service for a monthly fee of 30 cents per telephone line, less than a penny a day. These charges would be listed on the telephone bills of Bell customers and would cover the costs of developing. deploying and maintaining I dedicated telephone network providing access to 9-1-1 service. According to Deanna Tuck, associate director, 9-1-1 Services, ewe are proud to have joined forces with the municipalities to provide univmaJ 9-1..1 service. In the future a call to enhanced 9-1-1 service will allow dispatchers to respond rapidly. And in the case of an emasency, seconds can mean saved 1iYa.' In many cases. municipalitia do not have enough ofa tax base to provide 9-1-l p which is maasi"" regarded as an essential service. At the same rime, provincial governments carry large debt loads and arc not in a position to fund new social services. As a result, there is growing interest in having a strategic alliance between the municipalities and Bell to implement and bill for universally available 9-1-1. The location of 9-1-1 response centres would be decided by municipalities or other qualified authorities, who would also be responsible for the administration of the centres and of emergency services (police. ambulance, fire protection, etc.) and for the cost of operatins them. .../2 ·2· The plan Bell has submitted for a 9·1-1 telephone network would include dedicated telephone lines. digital switches. computers and databases that would route the emergency calls and transmit the caller's telephone number and address to the appropriate response centre's attendant. The network would represent an investment of more than $98 million over the next ten years and be based on state-of-the-art technology. There would be numerous improvements over the technology now used in cities already served by 9-1-1 in the coming years. The enhanced service includes a centralized computer database which routes calls. along with the caller's telephone number and address. to the municipality's answering bureau. For example. if a 9-1-1 caller - a young child or someone in immediate physical danger was unable to give complete information - their address is displayed and necessary emergency services can be dispatched. In case of any network problems, calls are instantly rerouted to reach the necessary emergency service. Bell has asked the CRTC to respond to its application by May 1993. The company believes it will take from three to five years to implement the program across the province. once the CRTC has approved it and municipalities make the necessary arrangements. In addition, Bell will continue to cooperate closely with Ontario's other telephone companies 10 that they also will be able to ofTer access to 9-1-1 service in their respective territories. Bell Ontario. ! division of Bell Canada. is Ontario', largest supplier of telecommunications services. Bell Ontario has more than 33.000 employees and markets I complete ranse or state-of-the-art products ;nd Hrvices to 4.4 million business and residence customers in Ontario. ·3D- RADIO AND TELEVISION BULLETIN: Toronto. date • Today. Bell filed an application with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications -3· Commission that will enable all its Ontario customers to have access to 9·1-1 service by 1998. The plan calls for all residents served by Bell Ontario to have access to 9-1-1 service for a monthly fee of 30 cents per telephone line. less than a penny a day. These charges would be included on the telephone bills of Bell customers and would cover the costs of developing, deploying and maintaining a dedicated telephone network providing access to 9-1-1 service. The location of 9-1 1 response centres would be decided by municipalities or other qualified authorities, who would also be responsible for the administration of the centres and of emergency services (police.ambulance, fire protection, etc.) and for the cost of operating them. -30- For information: Lissa Ellsmere Sandra CruickshanJcs Bell, Ontario Bell Ontario Public Affain Public Affain (416) 581-4253 (416) 581-4205 Off,ce of the Ministry of Ministere des M,nlSler Municipal Affaires Bureau du Affairs municipales m,n,sue January 8, 1993 Le~ f-4ti""?~ f'" ..~""'''' PL':'::':' I .W' P1a~ KEMORANDUK TO a All Municipal Clerks :1i'1.1 r-:> It''c u, I~ ';~I L~ COIT;'r:ttEC 0 FROM: The Honourable Dave Cooke CoUnl.il 0 Corrcspc~.den:e 0 Comments SUBJECT: Provincial Munioipal Releti n. I have received a resolution from the Council of the corporation of the Town of Newmarket which has, in turn, been circulated to all municipalities. The resolution refers to a number of issues in the context of provincial municipal relations. It asks the provincial government to refrain from implementing certain initiatives until there has been meaningful and constructive consultation with municipalities. The resolution also questions provincial initiatives in certain traditional areas of local mandate. I welcome the opportunity to respond to this resolution both to the general subject of provincial .unicipal relations and to the specific issues raised in the resolution. These issues are disentanglement, land use planning, municipal conflict of interest and open . meetings, apartments in houses, and provision of landfill sites in municipalities to serve other municipalities. I believe that the government is committed to constructive and meaningful consultation on these issues and that the public interest will be best served by an effective partnership between the province and municipalities in working toward common goals• •••/2 RECEIVED JAN 2 6 1993 - 2 - All Municipal Clerks I would like to outline the proposed consultation on each issue mentioned in the resolution and invite your council to take an active and constructive role in these discussions and in the development of appropriate provincial and municipal initiatives: DISENTANGLEMENT Disentanglement is a joint provincial-municipal initiative which is being guided by a twelve member Steering Committee of six elected municipal representatives from across the Province appointed by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) and six Ontario Cabinet Ministers. Disentanglement seeks to realign provincial and municipal roles and responsibilities for local services to the p~li~. Its goal is to provide each level of government with the authority to make these services effective and efficient. . Any changes to provincial and municipal roles will be implemented within the context of "fiscal neutrality· and protects municipalities from increased pressures on their local tax base at the time of disentanglement. The Steering Committee is now working toward a draft agreement. The .draft agreement would then be the subject of broad consultation by AHO in early 1993, prior to the final recommendation from the steering Committee. LAND USB PLANNING The Commission on Planning and Development Refora in Ontario has employed a collaborative and open process throughout its review. Eight newsletters have been published, three rounds of public hearings were held in 1992 at 28 centres across the Province and local councillors of surrounding municipalities were frequently asked to attend special advance meetings prior to these forums. OVer 900 briefs have been received. In addition, workshops and conferences have been held. Following release of the Commission's Draft Report early this year, there will, again, be public forums held across the Province in February and March. Your ideas and comments will be welcomed by the Commission either in written submission or as part of the public forums. • ••/3 - 3 - All Municipal Clerks OPEN GOVERHKEN'l' The government released draft legislation on Open Local Government last year. I established a provincial municipal working group following this release to examine the draft legislation in the light of the issues and concerns raised in the more than 500 submissions that have been received. Representatives from AMO are participating in that working group as well as school and utility association members and Ministry staff. The working group is an important part of the Government's consultation on this issue to ensure that the legislation is fair and workable for council members and the people they serve. APARTMENTS IB HOUSES Bill 90, the Planning statute Law 1amendment Act (Residential Units), 1992 was introduced on October 29, 1992. I am confident that public hearings before a standing committee of the Legislature and legislative debate will provide opportunities for all to be heard on the issue of apartments in houses. The Government feels strongly that second units are an important form of affordable housing which will be of benefit to the Ontario public. Municipalities will continue to play a lead role in enforcing appropriate health, safety and maintenance standards so that houses containing second units are well-kept and contribute to the well-being of the residents and the community. LANDFILL SIBS Waste management in Ontario has traditionally been the responsibility of local municipalities. Municipalities seek solutions within their own boundaries or make agreements with adjacent municipalities so that they can work together to resolve their waste management issues. This is exactly what happened in the past between Metropolitan Toronto and York Region• •• ./4 I/{·-7 ' - 4 - All Municipal Clerks In 1983, both Metro and York signed an agreement that established a landfill in York Region that would look after both York and Metro's waste. It was anticipated that York/Metro landfill would be operational until at least the year 2003. However, without a strong emphasis on the 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, the landfill service in both York and Metro reached capacity much sooner than anybody had anticipated. The current landfill site selection process being conducted by the Interim Waste Authority continues and builds upon the relationship that had been established by both York Region and Metropolitan Toronto. In conclusion, a good relationship between the provincial and municipal levels of government is essential to good government and to providing services to our residents. I agree that, to make this relationship work, there needs to be clarity as to who is accountable for what services and a strong partnership where municipalities are involved in the pOlicy making and planning of services. I hope you will agree that the strong consultation we have insisted upon in dealing with all these issues will build this partnership and I look forward working with you. Sincerely, c' .c:- Dave Cooke Minister M.P.P., Windsor-Riverside Office national Naltonal des transports Transportation du Canada AlJerrcy of Canada Cw i\ctir,o ~ 8 c:.o ~ 0 c' ~ Too· .. 'r'r 1'1; .'_." JiuarE 18, 1993 n 0 Fi{;e DQ25p/ONR -1 l:.;1 0 0 .l:,~ :.1 ~~r:;r.tS o' 0 Mr. Bill Calvert ., 'h'Ji.';; [3 0 'G Chief Administrative Officer I ~ "I~;'l o 0 • .•• ; ;; The District Municipality of MUskoka\ Cr: iii'i;,lZ~ o 0 10 Pine street Co:.;'";~\ o 0 (",()"l:~:::~nce o 0 Bracebridge, ontario 1 PIL IN3 Dear Mr. Calvert: This will acknowledge receipt of your letter and fax copy both dated January 11, 1993 and the attached resolution regarding the Agency's reconsideration of an application by the Canadian National Railway Company for authority to discontinue the passenger-train service (operated jointly with Ontario Northland Railway) between Toronto and North Bay, Ontario. The comments presented in your letter will be taken into consideration during the Agency's deliberations on this matter and your name will be added to the mailing list. Your interest in this matter is appreciate~. Yours truly, ~'tuy~ tt Director Rail Complaints, Tariffs and Mediation Directorate Dispute Resolution Branch ottawa, Ontario K1A ON9 natioMI NatioNl. ~~ Tra~~...... OJ Canada Agerct d ...-- Jeanette M. Anderson AII~T_"'" ~_ T'" _~ ...... - . ::'=1(1AGNI Canada ~t1''''''' RECEiVED '( 1993 I r---, r ---.- -- BRACEBRIDGE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY 30 VICTORIA STREET BRACEBRIDGE, ONTARIO ) P1L 1E4 -Lifer i l~ •I' ~I January 22, 1993 [] ,~ Mr. Frank Miller o District Chair l '".,,' , ... o The District of Muskoka o 10 Pine Street Bracebridge, Ontario P1L 1N3 Dear Mr. Miller: I am writing to you on behalf of the Bracebridge Agricultural Society to request a grant to help defray the cost of sponsoring the Bracebridge Fall Fair. The 1992 Fall Fair was a success with the quality of the exhibits outstanding overall. Due to the weather of the summer of '92, much interest and amazement was shown in the vegetable exhibits. The 1992 Junior Fall Fair was more successful than ever. There were 600 plus, entries of excellent quality. The quality just keeps improving beyond expectations. Six of a possible seven public schools participated in the art display. We are progressing with our new livestock/poultrey building at the new fair site on the Fraserburg Road. The horse ring was built and used for the 1992 fair. The quality of the new ring will make for growth in the horse shows as we now have one the best rings in central Ontario. Thank you. Sincerely, 4~9~0 Lois, J. Cooper Secretary /79 ONTAalO 'AIR TAX COMMI •• ION 'ALL 1992 • YOLUMI 2 NO .. 'TC NEWS The commission is moving into a The commissioners are alse new phase of its work. The last of focusing on the commission's dis the working groups examining spe cussion paper. The paper will be cific tax issues will report by circulated in the spring before the December-Women and Taxation, Low public hearings which are sched Income Tax Relief, Wealth Tax, Property Tax uled for April, May and June. and Environment and Taxation. The working In the meantime, th. groups on Retail Sales consultation progl"~rn i Tax/Goods and Ser in high gear, with. .~et vices Tax, Corporate ings being held in com Minimum Tax and the munities throughou Tax Treatment of Real the province in Octobe Estate Gains reported' " and November. Ta last spring; the En Forces, groups of loca vironment and Taxation volunteers brought to working group submit gether by the commis ted its first report last sian's animators, ar March. organizing the meet ings. Commissioner Although the work ...,." - are attending to ident ing groups have al~ost '! ~;q.'::.:=-:r , , • e·.. ,.. fy tax issues of impo concluded their deliber- :. :.~" ~ ~. r " lance in these areas. ations, the commission- .,. ers are still studying the ~I Finally, the researc issues-the reports are "," program has begu an important source of publishing its WOI information and analy .4 through the Un. 'si sis for their work. It's of Toronto Press. Pub not too la te to voice cations, and summari your opinion...the com of the papers, will 1 mission welcomes all available as they a --_....1 •• ,.."',1 /'(/ I Phofo: AI ~ The TOIOfllo SIBI ASSESSMENTI school boards and makes recommen ON BIING WHAT'S FAIR' dations for reform. GRE E N The group, representing a broad o cal governments across the cross-section of organizations interest -Thepurpose of environmental taxa province are struggling with ed in local government, examined a tion is not to raise revenue. but to L property tax reform. Rising wide range of local government change people's behaviour. - costs, lower transfer payments from finance issues, from the system of - Beth Savant Environment and Taxation the provincial government, and fewer assessment to the system used for dis Working Group Co-<:hair tax dollars coming in are making the tributing provincial grants to support job of service delivery-while balancing education. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• the books-difficult. Tax revenues are The group's findings challenge the e p resen tati ves from manufac down; the demand for services is up. traditional argument that market value turing and industry sat side-by Because of the intricate relationship as an assessment base is fairer because R side with people dedicated t between levels of government, and the it links taxes to the taxpayer's ability to . reducing global carbon emissions t varying methods of local assessment pay. The group found that the relation discuss energy taxes at an all-da combined with the classifications of ship between the value of residential symposium sponsored by the Enviror property, there is not a uniform system property and the income of the house ment and Taxation Working Group. of assessment across the province. hold that occupies the property is very Participants included workin Many municipalities have opted for, weak and recommends further study group members, and delegates fro: or are considering, a way to re-assess of alternatives. the academic community, flight an property in order to increase their rev The group also makes recommenda ground transportation industrie enues and balance their books. And in tions for a different method for dis unions, manufacturing, fuel produ some instances, this means a redistri tributing provincial equalization en, environmental advocacy organiz. bution of the tax burden. grants for education which takes into lions. and the provindal government Some councils that have approved account household incomes in the The recommendations of tt market value assessment in areas such community as weB as the assessed group's second report reflect the as Metro Toronto and the Regional value of property. objective of tying economic instr Municipality of Ottawa Carleton, are One of the recommendations 01 the ments to specific economic behaViOl .facing politicians polarized on both report, revealed publicly by some In particular, the recommendatio sides of a very controversial issue, as group members, has already generated are designed to motivate consum and manufacturing behaviour towar well as angry ratepayers. (Market controversy in Metropolitan Toronto. environmentally friendly practices. value assessment in these areas would The transitional measures provided for While industry representativ evaluate and tax all properties based in the Metro reassessment plan run questioned the impact of an envirc on the 1988 market value.) counter to the criteria adopted by the mental tax on competitiveness, oth. Opponents of market value assess group for transitional measures. These pondered the effectiveness of ment insist taxes will increasedramati criteria call for transitional measures to revenue-neutral tax. Participants a cally in some areas, burdening busi be the same for all classes of property. discussed the earmarking of rever ness people, homeowners and tenants The Metro plan created different tran raised from an environmental tax, a during a time when they can least sitional rules for each property class in the relationship between taxation a afford it. order to provide additional protection regulation. The 45-member Property Tax to residential taxpayers. Henry Hengeveld, Environrn. Working group, appointed by the The group will submit its final Canada Science Adviser on Clim Treasurer in September 1991, is com report to the Treasurer late November. Change, warned the audience of pleting a report that assesses the com The commission will study the issue dangers of global warming: "Seier plex relationship between the property further and include recommendations fic uncertainty is not a reason for tax system, local government and in its fall 1993 final report. )3,/ action," he said. He noted that C 0 40 0 Bearing the Burden of JS' 0 Taxes: Who Pays? 30% ~ 250f0 0 Ontario 1991 u .5 200/• The data used lor the graphis based 15% on thetotal amount of taxes paid. less -0 credits. . .,. 10% 5% The graph illustrates that people with 0"4 incomes over$60.000 pay almost the 0·20 20- 30- 40- 50- 60- 70- 80- eo- 100+ same proportion 01 their income on taxes. Family Income $'000', ada is one of 154 countries committed The working group is exploring the the administrative costs of collectin to reducing the greenhouse gas emis viability of a wealth tax, while consid it. (The cost of collecting wealth trans sions globally and is also dedicated to ering existing taxes that relate to fer taxes amount to 3% of the revenue stabilizing domestic gas emissions to wealth such as capital gains taxes and raised.) Various avoidance scheme 1990 levels by the year 2000. property taxes. It is also studying if are also cited as reasons for not intrc Fred Lazar of York University pre such a tax could be implemented at ducing the tax, as well as the possibil sented the preliminary results of a the provincial level. ty of wealth leaving the province. study that will examine the potential There are two possible ways to tax Others object to the tax for rno r impact an energy tax might have on wealth. A Wealth Transfer Tax is a tax personal reasons, claiming it infringe business costs, energy use in various on transfers of wealth by gift or at the on individual property rights. The sectors and emission reductions. final time of death. An Annual Net Wealth also object to the interference of go' results of the study will be incorpor Tax is a yearly tax on a household's ernment in family arrangements b ated into the working group's report. accumulated assets minus its liabili restricting the giving of gifts an In small workshop sessions, partici ties. Some of those who argue in transfers of assets through in he r pants speculated on the impact of an favour of a wealth tax see it as a way tances. energy tax on the economy, the job to preserve the progressivity of our Although some people ti ve market and competitiveness. Most tax system (levying a higher propor wealth tax would result in a h..__ er ti agreed that the province should not tion of tax on high income earners) system, others argue that wealth ar impose an energy tax unilaterally and and reduce the inequalities in the dis ability-to-pay are often unrelated. advocated more consultation. Others tribution of wealth. study by the large accounting fir suggested alternatives to an energy Statistics Canada data indicate that Ernst and Young indicates th tax, such as tax incentives to encour federal tax changes from 1984 to 1988 although wealth and income are hig age investment in pollution control increased income taxes for most fami ly correlated, many Ontario hous equipment or new technologies. lies, but reduced average income tax holds have a substantial net wealt The working group's final report paidDflhTI% of Ole families -iariili\i 6uttake lita lowannuAl trlcOme. will be released in early December. $114,490 or more. Similarly, a Fair Tax Some individuals in those hous Commission study of who actually holds are retired. These findings rai bears the tax burden produced similar the question of how to measure wea1 results. and what i. an accurate reflection + Supporters of a wealth tax argue that household',abiUty to pay. that imposing a wealth tax would fee Finally, those who oppose II weal distribute society's wealth more fairly tax claim it is essentially double tax as well as create revenue to finance the tion. Income is taxed when it's earn A TAX ON supply of government services. and would be taxed again if the WEALTH? They also believe a wealth tax could were an annual wealth tax. Similar playa crucial role in establishing a under a wealth transfer tax, income ntario hasn't had a wealth tax greater measure of financial equity. taxed again when it is transferred since 1979, when succession Gifts and inheritances, they contend, means of a gift or bequest. and gift duties were abolished. create substantial economic inequali The working group is reviewi O ties among members of succeeding appropriate design alternative However, Canada and Australia are the only industrialized countries with generations. including exemptions and rate stn out a wealth tax of some sort. Is it time Those who argue against a wealth ture, and is expected to submit its HI Canada reconsidered? tax believe if the burden of taxation is report to the Treasurer this f Last September, the Treasurer estab distributed unfairly, the problem lished the Wealth tax Working group, should be addressed through the made up of 16 volunteers from diverse income tax system. They also question + backgrounds, to help answer this whether a wealth tax would raise question. much revenue, particularly in light of VOICE YOUR OPINION! One way you can participate 10 the please provide an executive summary, All subrmss.ons will be cons.ce.e: Fair Tax Commission is to write a let outlining the arguments and conclu by the commission in its deliberations ter or make a formal submission. sions as well as 3 copies for distribu for the final report. All formal submis tion and for our files. Charts, atatls sions will be made available to the 8 If you choose to write a letter, be tics, graphs and other data are useful. public upon request. specific about your concern and give We have received over 150 formal Please be sure to include your ful! examples. To date, we've heard from submissions on various aspects of the name and address so we can put you more than 1,000 people from across tax system from interested organiza· on our mailing list if you are not Ontario. tions, associations and businesses. already on it. We welcome input in all media Write to us at the address below. b If you choose to make a formal including: audio and video cassette submission (a brief, essay, report), and computer disk. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• TAX SYSTEM "The increasing reliance by policy makers on women's continued DISCRIMINATES availability as unpaid caregivers in the nome is an unrealistic AGAINST WOMEN and unsustainable policy direction. - •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• he tax system discriminates • Women as caregive,s: spousal relationships be recognized for against women, according to a Caregiving for the elderly and relatives both tax and support obligation purposes T recently released report of the with disabilities should be acknowl • Tax policy making process: Women and Taxation working group. edged and adequately compensated. There is a lack of information provided The Treasurer of Ontario established Financial support should be directly by governments on women and the tax the working group last September, and delivered to allow those receiving care system. Any proposed changes to tax asked it to determine if the tax system to maintain their independence and provisions should be analyzed for their discriminates against women and what autonomy. Meanwhile, the existing impact by gender. changes could be made to address dis credit should be increased arid made The working group of 15 volunteers crimination and enhance progress refundable to the caregiver. included tax professionals and aca towards the elimination of inequities • Child support payments: demics; members of the business com faced by women. Those making child support payments munity, trade union, women's anc The report noted that women enter should not be able deduct them from seniors' movements; the gay and lesbiar into the tax system from a position of their income; those receiving them community, and community service economic inequality and analyzed the should not have the payments included organiza tions. impact of the personal income tax sys in the calculation of taxable income. tem on women as compared to men • Child tax benefit: liliiARCII PRO_RAM RILIAII within the framework of women's roles A national, universal program should 'AlaN••• AN. laXATION. as primary caregivers. be implemented which provides public .X'LoaIN. , •• ,aINCI'LIl In making its recommendations, the support to assist with the costs of rall • -rex FaJmess PrtndpIes: A~ group focused on the interaction of the ing children and recognizes the abiUty tuaI, HlstoricaJ, and Prac:tIceJ Review" bit lax system with this unpaid work. of parents to pay taxes compared to' The working group concluded that to individuals and couples without chil John G. Head. understand the problems of fairness dren. Further support should be provid • "Whar. Fair? The Problem of Equity experienced by women in the tax SfS" ed for children in poverty. 'In Taxation- by Ln0&beIg. tern, it is necessary to look beyond the • Childcare expense cieductioni • -eonc:epts of Equliy InTaxation tax statutes. The problems arise from A universally available, publicly funded by leslie Green. the interaction of the tax system with child care system is one of the require women's economic circumstances-they ments for women's economic indepen • -Equitable and Fair: Widening the would be completely overlooked in an dence. Members offered different solu Circle- by A. Marguerite Cassin. isolated investigation of the tax system. tions on how to fund it. • "Beyond the CrisIs of the Tax State? The group recommends several • Tax treatment of retirement From FairTaxation to Structural Refonn sweeping changes to existing tax laws, income and savings: by Leo Panltch. although because of the nature of the The current system results in systemic tax collection agreements, almost all discrimination against women because ••,oa, ••LlAI. avenues for change fall within the feder men benefit disproportionately. Some • Women and Taxation Wooong Group. al jurisdiction. group members disagreed with public To receive summarle. of the papers. or When considering the tax treatment subsidies for private retirement savings copy of the report, write to the FTC at th of care for the elderly and dependents and wanted to redirect funding toward address beloW. with disabilities, the group agreed: "The expanding and enriching the existing increasing reliance by policy makers on public system; others wanted to main Thtcommissim! welcomes your submissions _ yo women's continued availability as tain tax-delivered assistance to private commmts. Writt to: ThtF.i, TaxCommissioR. 10 unpaid caregivers in the home is an savings for retirement. 84Iy S"ut, 6'11 Floor, Toronto, Ontario,MSS lSt. unrealistic and unsustainable policy • To support and acknowledge a wider /Vr'7 direction." . range of familial relationships, the ( ~. :;;::; - -~ ...J_c : __1.....~. ft."'..... r.... n..,..,..,.., ..nnpd that same-sex ...... ISSN 1192·.0998 MEMORANDUM Date: February 3, 1993 From: Geoff Plummer To: Administration and FInance Committee Subject: Bell Canada's Neighbourhood Calling Plan (NCP) On or about April 23 1992 a report on the above proposal was givento the A & F Committee. Bell indicated that they had requested permission from the CRTC to proceed with the NCP. The NCP proposal was designed to remove long distance barriers between adjacent exchanges. The proposal also Indicated that an additional charge of $1.00 per month per subscriber Is required to coverthis feature. When the District's proposal went forward In January to A&F regarding the removal of the zenith number in Mactler, Bala and Port Carling, and replacing It with a regular line It Is was based on NCP becoming a reality. On December 91992 the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) denied Bell's NCP proposal. The reason was giventhat the vast majority of the customers would not benefit from the plan, but would nonetheless have to pay for the proposed local rate Increases. The District was not Informed about this untilJan 18 1993, and only after we had completed the set up of the replacement linefor the zenith number. Once Bell realized what we were trying to accomplish they Informed the District that It would not function and the Installation to help Mactler, Bala and Port Carling was removed and no charges were applied. No compensation was offered to cover our time and effort in this exercise. Beyond the benefits gained from the removal of the zenith number it appears that the CRTC may be justified in their decision. Due to the particular telephone exchange boundaries some areas would not receive any real tangible benefit. As an example Port Carling residents would have been ableto call Gravenhufst but not Bracebrldge. _._ __ __ '- _ 0;.. '- 3 February 1993 OPSEU District Municipality 01 Muskoka ONTAItIO 10 Pine Street PUBLIC Bracebridgc, Onto SERVICE PIL lN3 eMPLOV!!S Dear Counsellor: UN ION On Match 26 1993, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario rAMO] plan. to ratify -4- phase one of Disentanglement .. a deal with the provlncla1 government that wil11ead to a SVNOICAT CIS ,reater finMclal burden for Ontario', municipalities. ~·e··soe As President of the Ontario Public Service Employees' Union [OPSBUl, I am writing to LA 'ONCTION you because we feel monaly that thia deallJ bad; itls • bad deal for Ontario'. PUBLIQUI! be communities and also for municipalities whole accountability tor roads, property tax L'ONTA It 10 assessment and other public wons and services 1& bound to increase. On the other hand, the P~ has promiJed to oornpletely fund welfare alloWIl1Cel. For SEFPO how long? At what cost? And what is ,oina to happen to delivery of 1el'Vicea? Will delivery be the next deal coming down from the provincial Jovernmerlt? . . Municipallties are to takeover 2.200 1d1ometres of provincial hiahway. What shape are these biahwaya in now? AC<:Otdinl to the Provincial Auditor's Report they're pretty bad. What are the lonaterm costs of maintalnina and uparadina these roada? Under this deal, municipalities will I1Jo pay the whole shot for property 1IX uaeasment. Weall know that the current federal iovernmect hu been downloadinl to the provinces. Now) the Ontario lovemment i. dumpinJ the ~ on municlpalitiel. AMO and th~ province are taldnl the show on the road this month, ukina your municipaUty to suppon the di_tanaIemen~ deal. WB UR.OB YOU TO SAY Not If you want to talk more about OPSEU's position on Disentan,lement, please call Shannon McManus at 1..800-663-1070. Fiie # Yours truly, ----.. c~ Ar.tion Chalrm::l'1 [J CAD ~ 0 ~~ Cltrk W 0 I Trr,·"rer Q" 0 Fred Upshaw C(i:'"r.:) _:Ier 0 President :-~~~~J:'I;lel ~ LJ Le~a' 0 H ""1 S~rl:;-.i?S ~ 0 ~, FU/am ~,jS"'~ WGr:,s '-, 0 Plan>1I'J LJ 0 I L~,i~d C, .s.on 0 I 0 I C.;'T1'T1lttee 0 0 I Cou~cil 0 0 Corr':~ :)(Fij~ .ce 0 0 Comments ~-- /'<;"J. -