Delayed Yard Waste Collection

Dear Councillors,

Please be advised that yardwaste collection in the Friday area of your wards will not be completed today. Collection will be completed tomorrow, Saturday, December 1, 2007.

Thank you,

Sandra Zavaglia
Supervisor Operational Support
Solid Waste Management

Media Release - Transportation Services Ready For Winter

For more information click on the above link.

News Release
November 29, 2007
Transportation Services ready for winter

The equipment is ready, the salt reserves have been stockpiled and City staff is prepared as the City’s Transportation Services Division gets set to face another winter season.
The City’s 600 snow ploughs, 300 sidewalk ploughs, 200 salt trucks and more than 1,600 staff are ready for winter to begin.

"Our equipment and staff is ready again this year to keep Toronto’s streets clear of ice and snow," said Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker, chair of the City’s Public Works and Infrastructure Committee. "With the planning and preparations we have made, we’re ready for whatever Old Man Winter can dish out."

The City’s main goal is to keep the main roads clear for emergency and TTC vehicles. "After we’re satisfied that the main roads are in good shape, then we can move on to the local roads," said Gary Welsh, General Manager, Transportation Services. Welsh added that local roads will be completed between 14 and 16 hours after the storm ends.

The public can help the City’s efforts in clearing snow by doing a few simple things such as not pushing snow back onto the road after clearing snow from their sidewalks and driveways, avoid parking on city streets to help the crews do their work and by taking public transit whenever possible.
For more information about the City’s winter operations, visit the website at www.toronto.ca/transportation/snow.

Media contact:
Steve Johnston, Sr. Communications Co-ordinator, 416-392-4391, sjohnsto@toronto.ca

Winter Operations Fact Sheet

Infrastructure
Total kilometres of roads 5,556
Kilometres of expressways 124
Kilometres of main roads (arterials) 1,089
Kilometres of collector roads 814
Kilometres of local roads 3,236
Kilometres of laneways 293
Number of streets 9,500
Total kilometres of sidewalks 7,600
Total kilometres of ploughed sidewalks 6,000
Total number of opened driveways 262,000

Staff, materials and equipment used
Road ploughs 592
Sidewalk ploughs 296
Salt trucks 211
Personnel Involved:
City Staff 536
Contracted 1,068
Total 1,604

Average snowfall
Per year 130 cm
Number of de-icing events per year 40 to 50
Tonnes of salt used in one storm 10,220
Tonnes of salt used in an average year 146,275 (based on a 10-year average)
Tonnes of salt used in an average year 123,000 (based on a five-year average)

Reduction in salt usage
10% to 15%
Reduction as a result of:
- Improved routes for salt trucks
- Electronic controls on equipment
- Application rates (amounts of salt used vary depending on the road being salted)

Costs and budgets
2007 Winter Operations Budget $67 million
Approximate breakdown:
- 60% road ploughing
- 20% sidewalk ploughing/salting
- 20% road salting

Level of operations
Main roads ploughing initiated after 5 cm of snow and ploughed continuously until the end of the storm
Local roads ploughing initiated after 8 cm of snow and snowfall is completed
Local roads ploughing completed between 15 and 20 hours, after the end of the storm
Main road driveway windrow opening initiated after the last round of road ploughing has been completed
Local road driveway windrow opening is initiated in tandem with road ploughing, and to be completed within one hour of roads being ploughed
24-hour road patrols monitoring weather/pavement conditions
Expressway/Main Road salt trucks can be mobilized within minutes when required, 24 hours a day

Media Advisory - Snow Clearing Service Levels

Please see the following media advisory regarding snow clearing service levels this winter. For more detailed information please go to the above link to access the Salt Management Plan for the City of Toronto.

Media Advisory
November 28, 2007
Snow clearing service levels

Today in published media reports, including Citytv’s City Online and the National Post, a representative of the CAA suggested changes to city snow clearing of streets and roads could seriously compromise public safety in an effort to save the Toronto Government $5 million. The representative also said the Toronto Government should not be in the weather forecasting business, that the City starts assessing action at 8 cm, and will not clear snow from local roads as part of this plan. That is not true.
Here are the facts:
• The City will continue its long-standing practice of clearing snow from residential streets.
• The City uses state-of-the-art weather forecasting capability, as well as road patrols and temperature sensors imbedded in roads for immediate information on pavement temperatures to quickly and effectively determine present and future action.
• The City’s Transportation Services Division has consistently maintained it could save between $3 million and $4 million by analyzing each snow fall individually, including those well below 8 cm, and determining what level of operation is required, if at all, to ensure safe roadways.
• Public safety will not be compromised in any way.
• Toronto has one of the highest levels of snow clearing service in Canada and residents will see no significant difference in the level of service they receive.
• The City’s snow removal budget for 2007 is $67 million.

Toronto is Canada’s largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. It is the economic engine of Canada and one of the greenest and most creative cities in North America. In the past three years, Toronto has won more than 70 awards for quality, innovation and efficiency in delivering public services. Toronto’s government is dedicated to prosperity, opportunity and liveability for all its residents.

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Media contact:
Steve Johnston, Sr. Communications Coordinator, 416-392-4391, sjohnsto@toronto.ca

Yard Waste Delay Update

Please be advised that due to the tremendous volume of yard waste at this time of the year, Friday's collection was not been completed as scheduled. Trucks are out today to complete the collection. Residents should leave their yard waste out as it will be collected.

Area Affected:

Yonge St to Victoria Park
between York Mills Rd and Steeles Ave

Please pass on this information should you receive any calls.

Delayed Yard Waste Collection - Friday November 23

Please see the below email that was received by my office regarding today's yard waste collection.

Please be advised that due to the tremendous volume of yard waste at this time of the year, today's collection has not been completed as scheduled. Trucks will be out first thing Saturday morning and collection is expected to be completed. Residents should leave their yard waste out as it will be collected.

Area Affected:

Yonge St to Victoria Pk Ave
between York Mills Rd and Steeles Ave

Please pass on this information should you receive any calls.

Carroll to Flaherty: Cities will continue to seek what is rightfully theirs

News Release
November 22, 2007

Toronto Budget Chair Shelley Carroll issued the following statement today on behalf of the people of Toronto.

"This country is in the midst of unprecedented growth. The Canadian dollar is hitting record highs, unemployment is lower than it has ever been, and the federal government is enjoying a $14- billion surplus.

"Canadians need to ask themselves some very simple questions: why do cities continually need to raise taxes to meet basic service needs when Ottawa has an enormous surplus? Why did Toronto have to impose a land transfer tax and vehicle ownership tax when Ottawa has an enormous surplus? Why are bridges crumbling in Montreal when Ottawa has an enormous surplus?

"And why did the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) recently issue a report stating the infrastructure deficit in Canadian municipalities is $123 billion? Surely the FCM and all those municipalities across Canada can’t be wrong. Surely Ottawa is not second-guessing sound research and data collection from a respected body like the FCM.

"Cities and towns do not have access to revenues that grow when the economy grows - unlike Ottawa. The surplus Ottawa is enjoying is, indeed, financed by cities. And that is why Canadian municipalities are asking for the equivalent of one cent of the GST.

"The federal finance minister says cities are ‘whining.’ Is it ‘whining’ to demand that public funds be spent judiciously? Ottawa is clearly out of touch with the rest of Canada if that is the prevailing attitude.

"Mr. Flaherty has repeatedly talked about the Building Canada Fund. Yes, it's a start, but certainly not a panacea. The program offers some help for public transit, but falls far short of what Canadian cities need to remain vibrant, liveable, and economically sound in the 21st century.

"Mr. Flaherty lectures that cities need to build reserves to fund deficits. Public transit and maintaining infrastructure requires enormous investments - in the billions of dollars. The property tax base cannot fund reserves of the magnitude needed today. Property taxes pay for services like police, fire, EMS, recreation, garbage collection, water - basic services Canadians depend on everyday.

"It’s also important to remember that Mr. Flaherty was part of the Mike Harris government that forced Ontario municipalities to start drawing from reserves to pay for the cost of downloading.

"The surplus Ottawa enjoys is the people's money. It is not Stephen Harper's or Jim Flaherty's to play politics with. Canadians know that and it's time the prime minister and finance minister recognized it, too.

"Toronto is the fifth largest city in North America. It's vibrant and exciting, but is suffering because of inaction by Ottawa.

"In October the Toronto Government stepped up its aggressive program to reduce business taxes to ensure the Canadian economy continues to thrive. Ottawa's Treasury will be a prime beneficiary. The time is now for Ottawa to set aside its ideological bent and do the right thing by representing all Canadians - urban and rural.

"This matter is too serious and has gone on for too long. Ottawa owes cities - the people - a great deal; it's time it started start living up to its commitment to public service by serving the public and practicing good government.

"The legitimate needs of cities will not go away and Canada's municipal leadership remains united in its campaign to protect communities."

Toronto is Canada’s largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.6 million people. It is the economic engine of Canada and one of the greenest and most creative cities in North America. In the past three years, Toronto has won more than 70 awards for quality, innovation and efficiency in delivering public services. Toronto’s government is dedicated to prosperity, opportunity and liveability for all its residents.

Downspout Disconnection Program

My office have been receiving many calls from residents in Ward 33 regarding the Free Downspout Disconnection Program. Please be aware that the deadline to submit your application is Tuesday November 20, 2007.

You can sign up by calling Toronto Water and leaving a message at 416-392-1807. If you are having trouble getting through due to the volume of calls (they are getting over 1,000 calls a day), try e-mailing ddp@toronto.ca with the following information:

- Full name
- Address
- Phone number
- Whether or not you would like a rain barrel

If you can't get through, or just want to be safe, you are welcome to call my office and provide us with your information and we will pass it to the program staff. We have been submitting our lists to city staff daily. Note that this is not an alternative, just a failsafe - you should still try to get through to the program directly.

Sincerely,

Shelley Carroll