Special Committee on Governance - Summary of Findings

expanded role of Community Councils beyond decision making, including assuming responsibility for select processes, consultation and other forms of direct interaction with citizens; b. increasing opportunities and success factors for public engagement with Council and Committees through plain-language one-page summaries to new staff reports, new technology and open data, more meeting locations and times, other best practices and specific measures to address barriers faced by underrepresented or equity-seeking groups; c. appropriate supports for neighbourhoods and neighbourhood organizations to access and interface with government; and d. options for Participatory budgeting or other locally-based processes. 3. City Council request the City Clerk to report on any changes required to permit the electronic submission of petitions in advance of Council meetings. 4. City Council request the City Clerk to identify opportunities to create a more welcoming atmosphere for public presentations (deputations), including increased information for newcomers, dedicated deputations guides, and posted speaking schedules. 5. City Council initiate the process to pass a by-law allowing for a ranked ballot election in 2022 by directing the appropriate City officials to undertake the steps set out in Ontario Regulation 310/16, namely: a. preparing the required information about costs, voting procedure, technology and impacts on election administration for consideration by City Council and the public as described in s. 5 and s. 9 of the Regulation, and including existing sample ballots from other jurisdictions such as London, Ontario, San Francisco, California and other best practice ranked ballot municipalities; b. scheduling multiple open houses and conducting a thorough public consultation (in excess of the required single open house) in accordance with s. 10 of the Regulation; and c. subsequent to Council consideration of Parts 5.a and b., the City Clerk bring the proposed by-law to a public meeting required by s. 11(1) of the Regulation. 6. City Council request that the steps in Part 5 above be completed before the end of the third quarter of 2020 to permit the Clerk the maximum amount of time to prepare for a ranked ballot election. 7. City Council direct that the Executive Committee hear the public comments at the public hearing required under the Regulation. 8. City Council request the City Clerk to look at all methods of Ranked Ballot Election. 9. City Council request the City Clerk, in consultation with the City Manager, to report to the Executive Committee with a work plan and on the resources required to adequately consult and fully investigate Toronto's ability to change election vote counting for the purpose of increasing voter participation and increasing candidacy. 10. City Council request that the City Clerk to review and report back to the Executive Committee, on moving to a New York City Campaign Finance Authority model of financing Toronto Municipal Elections, such review to include: a. an outline of the components of the model including pre-election day accountability and disclosures, grant campaign financing, nomination procedures to take part in grant financing, etc.; b. a review of the impacts of the New York City model on post-election compliance challenges and legal challenges; and c. a detailed estimate of the cost of a 26 member Council election under this model. 11. City Council request the Speaker to help make City Council meetings more efficient by: a. maintaining a strict definition of 'urgent business'; b. ensuring that more information on motions without notice is provided to Members before they are introduced, and that they adequately describe the reason for urgency; and c. sequencing notices of motion later in the Council Agenda to ensure the most urgent business is considered first. 12. City Council direct the City Manager to report to the Executive Committee on the feasibility of conducting an annual, rolling review of local agencies, boards, corporations, and commissions to ensure that each organization's operations are aligned with the City's strategic priorities and report the outcomes of these reviews to the Executive Committee. 13. City Council request the City Manager to report to the Executive Committee on the feasibility of conducting, at the start of each term of Council, a large-scale public consultation on the City's long-term service priorities and financial direction to ensure Council's strategic direction for the four-year term is aligned with and understood by the community it serves. 14. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to consider partnering with a post-secondary institute to undertake research on the organizational structure of the Committee of Adjustment to better engage and empower residents in the process.