Linked here is TCBN'S Formal Response to Executive Committee.

Context:

Thanks to significant organizing by the community and leadership from the Province, Toronto was the first city in Canada to have a signed Community Benefits Framework obligating a contractor to provide jobs and opportunities for social enterprise and neighbourhood and environmental improvements for the community.

Unfortunately, the City report planned for THIS fall 2017 has been postponed with the recommendation for TWO more years of study before action will finally be taken. But the work has already been done in numerous studies as current as this year.

TCBN feels the longer we postpone mandating benefits through Community Benefits Agreements, the more vulnerable members of society fall deeper into despair and the harder it becomes to engage communities meaningfully. The time to act is now! Download Document Here.

Ontario Enshrines Community Benefits in Legislation

The TCBN has been successful in its efforts to get community benefits included in the Ontario Infrastructure for Jobs and Prosperity Act, previously called Bill 6. The approved legislation provides a planning and implementation framework for public investment in infrastructure, and the Province has budgeted $130B for projects across Ontario over the next 10 years.

• Metrolinx is the Ontario government agency that plans and build public transit
• Approved working with the TCBN September 2013
• Issued Crosstown RFP , largest infrastructure project in Canada at $5B, including CB terms
• Worked with TCBN to develop a Community Benefits Framework, approved April 2014
• Framework establishes a working Group on Community Benefits at Metrolinx which includes TCBN, United Way of Toronto and York Region, Infrastructure Ontario,  Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities, and soon to be joined by Toronto Employment and Social Services
• TCBN made presentations on Community Benefits to the bidding consortia
• Infrastructure Ontario has announced the Crosslinx group as the preferred proponent for Crosstown, with Metrolinx to soon to finalize contract negotiations
• Metrolinx has also received Provincial approval to proceed with Finch West LRT and has recently completed its Environmental Assessment on the line.

A CBA is a proven way to provide jobs and other benefits for community residents. In many countries, communities demand CBAs when new Industrial-Commercial-Institutional developments occur or when public sector projects are built.