Social Planning Toronto (SPT), in partnership with Newcomer Women’s Services Toronto (NEW) is recruiting 10 community based research (CBR) assistants for the Economy and Resilience of Newcomers (EARN) project, funded by the City of Toronto.

The goal of this project will be to examine how newcomers to Toronto who have lost paid employment during the current economic recession, have developed economic resiliency through self-employment and small business development. EARN will examine the systemic barriers and challenges immigrants engaged in self-employment are confronted with and identify the resources, community supports and strategies they have developed to mitigate these difficulties. As well, project staff will create a public education tool and provide policy recommendations on how to better support newcomers engaged in self-employment while encouraging economic development within the city of Toronto.

Duties and Responsibilities

In collaboration and consultation with the project team, CBR Assistants will:

1)     Attend a compulsory two day training and orientation in March 2012

2)     Conduct one-on-one interviews with newcomers who have lost their jobs and are now engaged in self-employment to gain a better understanding of their experiences in starting their own small business enterprises including documenting the challenges, barriers and successes.

3)     Collect data on demographic characteristics (i.e. age, gender, ethno-cultural background, country of origin, educational level, immigration status, etc) to better understand the type of newcomers that are entering self-employment.

4)     Interview key informants in various community organizations who assist newcomers in development the skills and resources to start their own businesses or through micro-credit lending programs.

Scope and Timeline of Work

The CBR process will be a collaborative process led by the CBR assistants and managed by staff at NEW and Social Planning Toronto.  CBR Assistants are expected to conduct and deliver specific data and components in a timely manner. Upon completion of our participant and key informant interviews, select CBR Assistants will collaborate with Social Planning Toronto policy analysts to compile findings into a final research report. Policy recommendations and which will be disseminated to policy-makers and ministries/departments at all three levels of government. The report will be officially released and findings shared at a community forum where we will convene key stakeholders to engage in a strategic discussion around ways to improve self-employment outcomes for newcomers and the role community organizations, municipalities and provincial and federal governments can play.

Completion Date:  May 1st, 2012

Honorarium Amount:  $ 450 (additional honoraria based on number of interviews completed)

Location: CBR Assistants are expected to work off-site and to visit NEW and SPT offices for consultations and meetings with the supervisors.

Submission Process:

Submit a resume and cover letter page proposal by February 17^th, 2012 to Maria Serrano with the following:

• Highlight your policy analysis skills and experience (paid/unpaid experience working in public policy setting, research, community development or doing policy analysis work)
• Your proposed methodology for conducting  research interviews

Along with proposal include your CV and 2 written samples/examples of policy analysis work/reports you have completed.

How to Apply:

Maria Serrano
Director of Operations
Social Planning Toronto
E-mail : info@socialplanningtoronto.org
Deadline: February 17^th by midnight.

No phone calls please.

Toronto City Council wrapped up the 2012 City operating and capital budgets on Tuesday, January 17. Here’s my final count of what was saved and a note on what was lost.

What Was Saved

A total of $32.7079 million in services saved.

$2.8 Million in Services Saved at Budget Committee on January 9:
• 58 student nutrition programs ($0.4 million)
• Programs in 12 TDSB shared-use community centres ($2.1 million)
• Programs in 2 TDSB school pools ($0.3 million)

All funds to maintain these services are drawn from a pool of $8.8 million in unanticipated assessment growth.

$5.9119 Million in Services Saved at Executive Committee on January 12:
• Hardship Fund (see below re dollars)
• Arts community grant funding from the Community Partnership Investment Program (CPIP)($1.9 million)
• Toronto Public Library cut reduced ($3.084 million)
• Local sidewalk snow clearing ($0.9279 million)

Hardship Fund: If Province doesn’t pick up the cost from July 1 onward, the funds will come from the Toronto Employment and Social Service net budget to pay for the program.
Funds to maintain all other services are drawn from a pool of $8.8 million in unanticipated assessment growth.

$5 Million in Services Saved at Toronto Transit Commission on December 14:
• Some transit route service during peak periods ($5 million)

Funds to maintain these routes are from diesel fund savings in TTC operating budget.

$18.996 Million in Services Saved at Toronto City Council on January 17:
• School-based child care rent subsidy ($1.7173 million)
• Child care programming ($0.67 million)
• Free children and youth registered programs at the City’s 20 Priority Centres ($1.3 million)
• Ice rink time in 10 arenas ($0.26 million)
• Programs in 5 school pools ($0.6835 million)
• Social service and public health grant funding from the Community Partnership Investment Program (CPIP)($2.2953 million)
• Transit route service ($5 million)
• Three homeless shelters ($1.9719 million)
• Mechanical leaf collection services ($0.51 million)
• Health funding to Immigrant Women’s Health Centre ($0.05 million from City; results in an additional savings of $0.15 million from Provincial funding)
• Toronto Environment Office staff to implement climate change action plan ($0.323 million)
• Toronto Public Library cut reduced ($3.89 million)
• Live Green Toronto Community Animators’ program ($0.325 million; half of funding provided in 2011)

Funds to maintain these services are from the 2011 surplus except for Immigrant Women’s Health Centre (from $8.8 million in unanticipated assessment growth), Toronto Environment Office (from reserve funds), Toronto Public Library (from Tax Stabilization Fund), Live Green Toronto Community Animators’ program (from Infrastructure Partnership Reserve).

What Was Lost

The list of what was lost is a more time-consuming process to assemble. Some reductions in the budget are described as “service efficiencies” and others as “minor service impacts” or “major service impacts”. Of course, these terms can be highly debatable. Sometimes a reduction in an individual budget is due to the completion of a temporary project that no longer requires operating dollars. Wading through City documents to document what was lost is going to take a bit of time.

In the meantime, here is the short list from the Toronto Star:

• “Lay off more than 1,000 workers as a result of various cuts.
• Defer hiring of 236 police officers and 117 civilian staffers ($14.636 million)
• Defer hiring of 68 firefighters ($7.22 million)
• Defer hiring of 36 paramedics ($1.1 million)
• Close five of 106 wading pools and two of 59 outdoor pools. ($157,000)
• End Wintercity outdoor programming ($46,000)
• Reduce road cleaning (streetsweeping); local streets will see sweeping reduced to bi-monthly from monthly ($4.24 million)
• Close visitor cafeterias in long-term care homes. ($304,000)
• Reducing funding for community animators in the Toronto Environment Office. ($643,000)
• Consolidate maintenance of new trees and street trees. ($278,000)
• Stop city management of the Christmas Bureau, set up in 1956 to distribute gifts to needy children. ($151,400)
• Cut back on horticultural services: end rejuvenation of rundown flower beds, and cut back on flower and shrub planting. ($600,000)
• Eliminate four free garbage tags provided to each house for overflow garbage. Instead, residents can purchase tags at $3.10 each. ($1.29 million)”

PROGRAM ASSISTANT POSITION

6-MONTH CONTRACT POSITION (35 HOURS/WEEK)

Social Planning Toronto is a non-profit community organization committed to independent social planning at the local and city-wide levels. We work to improve the quality of life for all people in Toronto through community capacity building, community education and advocacy, policy research and analysis, and social reporting.

Social Planning Toronto is looking for a full-time Program Assistant.

Over the six month period  intern will spend at SPT, s/he will contribute to the ongoing research and policy work of the Council in the areas of housing, labour markets and income, and education/human development. S/he will develop and hone skills in conducting research, analyzing, synthesizing, and interpreting government policy and legislation. S/he will also be developing social reports in order to inform policy positions and strategies on major social issues affecting Toronto and its local communities. In addition, the intern will be developing skills by assisting with ongoing Council projects.

Responsibilities and Job Duties:

• Assistance with SPT related projects as needed, meetings, supervision
• Organize monthly research and policy forum
• Policy analysis, literature review, environmental scans
• Research and evaluation, employing analytical skills
• Produce clear language documents
• Assist with designing training materials
• Assist with training sessions

The participant will:

• Improve writing and effective communication skills, including the ability to produce clear language documents, conduct literature reviews and environmental scans
• Develop research, evaluation, and analytical skills
• Develop skills in creating training materials and offering training sessions
• Acquire networks of contacts in the field of social services
• Improve interpersonal skills, and the ability to work with diverse communities

Eligibility:

This is a Service Canada funded internship under the Career Focus program. To participate in Career Focus projects, you must be:

• Between the ages of 15 and 30 (inclusive) at the time of intake/selection;
• Post-secondary graduate;
• A Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person on whom refugee status has been conferred;
• Out of school;
• Legally entitled to work according to the relevant provincial/territorial legislation and regulations and
• Not in receipt of Employment Insurance (EI) benefits.

SPT is committed to employment equity, and welcomes applicants from the full diversity of the community.

Salary: $19.00/hour

Interested candidates are asked to submit a resume and covering letter outlining how they meet the above criteria to:

Maria Serrano
Director of Operations
Social Planning Toronto
1001 – 2 Carlton St.
Toronto, Ontario   M5B 1J3
Fax: 416-351-0107
e-mail: info@socialplanningtoronto.org

The deadline for applications is Friday, February 17^th at 12:00 p.m.

Commitment 2 Community:  CPIP Funding Saved in Final Budget Vote

CUPE Ontario:  Budget Vote a Victory for the People of Toronto.  Fight to Keep Toronto Public Continues

Toronto Arts Council:  City Council Fully Restores Arts Grants for 2012!

Toronto Environmental Alliance:  Victory for the Environment!

Toronto Works Better Together:  2012 City Budget Round-Up: When is a Cut Not a Cut?

Wellesley Institute:  People Care About the Kind of City They Live In

Tallying Services Saved

• Budget Committee takes $2.8 million in service cuts off the table
• Executive Committee saves close to $6 million in services
• TTC reverses $5 million in service reductions on busy peak-time routes (from TTC savings)
• City Council removes almost $19 million in service cuts

Councillor Colle led the charge moving a motion to reverse almost $15 million in service cuts to child care, priority centres, ice rinks, pools, community grants, TTC, three homeless shelters, and mechanical leaf collection services.  It was a real nail-biter with 23 votes in favour of saving these services and 21 against.

Who voted to save these City services:  Councillors Augimeri, Bailao, Carroll, Cho, Colle, Davis, De Baeremaeker, Doucette, Filion, Fletcher, Fragedakis, Layton, Lee, Lindsay Luby, Matlow, McConnell, McMahon, Mihevc, Pasternak, Perks, Perruzza, Vaughan, Wong-Tam

Who voted to cut these City services:  Mayor Ford, Councillors Ainslie, Berardinetti, Crawford, Crisanti, Del Grande, Di Giorgio, Ford, Grimes, Holyday, Kelly, Mammoliti, Milczyn, Minnan-Wong, Nunziata, Palacio, Parker, Robinson, Shiner, Stintz, Thompson

Councillor Moeser was unwell and could not attend the meeting.

Some additional motions passed to reverse proposed service cuts to public  libraries, the Toronto Environmental Office, the Immigrant Women’s Health Centre, and the Live Green Toronto Community Animators’ program.

Details on what was saved:

Moved by Councillor Colle (passed 23-21; all funds from the 2011 surplus, totalling $14.408 million – net budget):

• School-based child care rent subsidy (saving parents with children in school-based child care centres a hefty hike in fees) ($1.7173 million)
• Child care programming ($0.67 million)
• Free registered programs for children and youth in Priority Centres ($1.3 million)
• Ice rink arena programming ($0.26 million)
• Pools ($0.6835 million)
• Community grants (non-arts grants funded under the Community Investment Partnership Program; arts grants had been saved at Executive Committee but social service and health program grants had not) ($2.2953 million)
• TTC services ($5 million)
• Three homeless shelters ($1.9719 million)
• Mechanical leaf collection ($0.51 million)

Moved by Councillor Cho (passed 22-21; same list as above except Councillor Pasternak had a conflict of interest so was not permitted to vote on the library budget; funds from Tax Stabilization Reserve)

• Drop requirement of Toronto Public Library to cut a full 10% from its budget – A 5.9% cut recommended by the Toronto Public  Library board remains, but the Budget Committee decided the board needed to make the full 10% cut, although many City divisions/agencies/boards/commissions did not meet this 10% target.  The Budget Committee recommended that the TPL cut another $6.974 million to meet the 10% target.  Then the Executive Committee reduced that figure to $3.89 million.  Finally City Council voted to require no further cut beyond the 5.9% recommended by the TPL board. ($3.89 million)

Moved by Councillor McMahon (passed 23-21; same list as above except Councillor Robinson voted for the motion and Councillor Pasternak voted against it; funds from TEO’s reserve funds)

• Three positions in the Toronto Environmental Office to implement the City’s sustainable energy strategy ($0.323 million)

Moved by Councillor Berardinetti (passed 44-0; funds from unanticipated assessment growth)

• Restore funding to the Immigrant Women’s Health Centre ($50,000 City contribution, resulting in funding of $200,000 including $150,000 from the Province)

Moved by Councillor Mihevc (passed 23-21; same list as above except Councillors Crawford and Robinson voted for the motion and Councillor Pasternak voted against it; funds from the Infrastructure Partnership Reserve)

• Restore the Live Green Toronto Community Animators’ program, an environmental program (at 50% of its 2011 budget instead of complete elimination of the program as had been proposed)($0.325 million)

By my count, we started with $88 million in service cuts in the staff recommended budget.  Budget Committee took $2.8 million in service cuts off the table.  Then Executive Committee removed almost $6 million in cuts.  Today, City Council reversed nearly $19 million in cuts, leaving us with close to $60 million in service cuts remaining.  Safe to say, some of the most troubling cuts have fallen by the wayside.  Still most City budgets were cut.  I will post an update in the days to come about the remaining cuts.

A property tax increase of 2.5% for single residences and 0.83% for business and multi-residential dwellings passed easily with no debate.  (passed 38-5; voting against: Councillors De Baeremaeker, Layton, Perks, Vaughan, Wong-Tam; absent:  Councillors Augimeri and Moeser; all others voted in favour)

As well, several motions were passed requiring staff reports related to various budget items, such as the response time impact of deferring hiring of paramedics and firefighters.

See all motions and voting records here

Getting almost $28 million in service cuts off the table was a tough slog.  Congratulations to the countless number of residents that raised their voices and put on the pressure to save City services, and to the City Councillors that heard the call and took action to hammer out a plan that would safeguard many vital services.