That, on the recommendation of the Deputy City Manager, Environment and Infrastructure, the Deputy City Manager, Planning and Economic Development, and the Deputy City Manager, Social and Health Development, the following actions be taken:
a) the staff report dated May 18, 2021 entitled “Comprehensive Report on Core Area Initiatives” BE RECEIVED;
b) the changes to target dates for action items under the Core Area Action Plan described in the above-noted report and summarized in Appendix B: Core Area Action Plan Implementation Status Update, May 2021 BE APPROVED and used as the new basis for future progress reporting;
c) the Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to revise the Core Area Action Plan Item #9 (Install kindness meters to directly support Core Area social service agencies) from a City-administered program to a program that provides access for community groups to meters that have been removed from active use; it being noted that Civic Administration continue to explore digital options for a City kindness meter program;
d) the Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to report back to a Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee meeting to be held in the 2nd Quarter of 2022 on the status of the geographic distribution of parking demand, parking revenue and any recommended modifications or alternatives to the Core Area Action Plan #11; it being noted that future structure parking opportunities will also be explored;
e) the Core Area Ambassador Pilot Program BE APPROVED as described in the above-noted report;
f) the Dundas Place Animation and Activation 2021 plan BE RECEIVED;
g) Project Clean Slate BE APPROVED as a pilot in 2021 and that the reallocation of $37,500 in one-time funding resulting from COVID-19 impacts on other Core Area Action Plan efforts BE APPROVED to fund it;
h) the Civic Administration BE AUTHORIZED to reallocate the remaining $100,000 in one-time funding that cannot be spent in 2021 due to COVID-19 impacts to other emergent opportunities aligned with the Core Area Action Plan in 2021;
i) the Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to work with Business Improvement Areas and other stakeholders to develop a comprehensive engagement strategy to work with other levels of government to ensure supports are in place for mental health and addictions, homelessness and housing, business supports and law enforcement; it being noted government relations work is already underway on many of these issues;
j) the Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to develop an “Eyes on the Street” program for City operations and engage with other agencies and organizations that routinely work in the Core about integrating such a program into their operations; and,
k) the Civic Administration BE DIRECTED to develop a performance measurement plan to assess the outcomes and impacts of various Core Area initiatives and report back to Committee and Council at year-end with an update on the information contained in the report.