Additions 2009/03/09 ADDITIONS TO COUNCIL. MONDAY MARCH 9 2009
COUNCIL
1. RESOLUTIONS
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that school boards maintain the traditional start
of the school year, the day after Labour Day.
NOTE: Councillor Thomson requested a resolution be prepared on this issue.
Council information
1. Ministry of Transportation - Gas Tax Fuels Better Public Transit.
r.s
The City of Niagara Falls, Ontario
Resolutaon
No.
Moved by Councillor
Seconded by Councillor
WHEREAS Labour Day falls on September 7"' this year, the latest possible day it can fall on; and
WHEREAS the day after Labour Day is traditionally the start of the school year; and
WHEREAS the Education Act requires 194 days of instruction for Ontario students; and
WIIEREAS to accortunodate the 194 days ofinstruction some school boards are contemplating starting
the school year the week before Labour Day; and
WHEREAS an early start to the school year will have negative social and economic ramifications; and
WHEREAS an early start to the school year will mean additional day-caze costs for some parents; and
WHEREAS an eas•ly start to the school year will mean thaY most students, who depend on income
earned through summer jobs, will have to end their employment early; and
WHEREAS the local tourist industry is dependent on the student labour force and dependent on
students to work until Labour Day; and
WHEI2EAS Labour Day weekend is traditionally one of the busiest, if not the busiest, weekend of the
tourist season; and
WHEREAS many tourism operators depend on Labour Day weekend to determine whether they have
had a successful season; and
WHEREAS an early start to the school year will mean Ontario families will be less likely to travel on
the traditionally busy week prior to schooi starting; and
WHEREAS tourism is one of th pillars of the Ontario economy and contributes more to provincial
Gross Domestic Product than the entire primary sector, according to Discovering Ontario, a Report on
the Future of Tourism; and
WHEREAS the decrease in travelers will have detrimental economic effects on the Ontario economy.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that school boards maintain the traditional start ofthe school year,
the day after Labour Day; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that school boards investigate ways of accommodating 194 days of
instruction without resorting to starting school prior to Labour Day; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that school boards look at Christmas vacation, reduction of
professional development days and longer school days as ways of fulfilling the required days of
instruction without starting school prior to Labour Day; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that if school boards are not successful maintaining the traditional
start of the school year that the Minister of Education mandate a solution; and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED thaY the Minister of Education look at amendments to the Education
Act that will allow flexibiliry in the number of days of instruction when there is a"late" Labour Day;
and
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that this resolution be sent to the Premier, Minister of Education and
the local school boards.
AND The Seal of the Corporation be hereto affixed.
DEAN IORFIDA R. T. (TED) SALCI
CITY CLERK MAYOR
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~~~o~~CA~IO SERVICESRTATION _ ~
SCANNED
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~ Ministry of Transportation
GAS 7AX FUELS BETTER PUBLIC TRANSIT
McGuinty Government Investments Strengthen Economy, Get PeopJe And Goods Moving
NEWS
March 6, 2009
Provincial support through the gas tax is allowing transit systems to increase hours of service,
expand routes, and upgrade transit infrastructure.
This year, 89 municipal transit systems, serving 111 municipalities, will share $321 million in gas
tax revenue to improve public transit. Better transit means more Ontarians than ever are leaving
their cars at home.
Since 2003, when the province reinstated its support for public transit:
• Transit ridership has increased by 102 million passenger trips
• The number of car trips has been reduced by 85 million, reducing traffic congestion
allowing people and goods to move more quickly
• Greenhouse gas emissions from cars have been reduced by an estimated 350,000
tonnes
Since 2004, municipalities have received more than $1.3 billion in gas tax funding.
QUOTES
"Gas tax funding helps municipalities deliver public transit in comrriunities across the province.
Our record investments in public transit strengthen Ontario's economy by helping people get to
work, school, and shopping, while reducing gridlock."
- Jim Bradley, Minister of Transportation
"The Ontario Public Transit Association is very pleased with the support and commi{ment to
public transit demonstrated by the Province as evidenced by this announcement. The
successes of the first four years of the program have been clearly demonstrated through
significant ridership increases across the Province,"
- Norman Cheesmen, CEO, Ontario Public Transit Association.
QUICK FACTS
° Ontarians took almost 735 million trips on municipal public transit in 2007, according to the
Canadian Urban Transit Association. Riders took another 51 million trips on GO Transit that
year.
^ More than 22,000 Ontarians are employed by transit systems.
• According to the American Public Transit Association, every dollar invested in public
transportation generates an average of $6 in economic returns.
LEARN MORE
Learn more about how the Ontario government is investing in infrastructure as part of a five-
point olan for the economv. -
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Read Go Green, Ontario's Action Plan on Climate Change.
Nicole Lippa-Gasparro, Minister's Office, (416) 327-1815 ontario.ca/transportation-news
Bob Nichols, Communications Branch, (416) 327-1158
Dispon+ble en franqais
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~l'"'~ntario ~~~~R'~tl~? ER
Ministry of Transportation
ONTARIO SHARES GAS TAX DOLLARS WITH MUNICIPAL TRANSIT
March 6, 2009
Ontario shares two cents per litre from gas tax revenues with municipalities for public transit. A
total of 89 Ontario transit systems, serving 111 municipalities receive provincial gas tax funding.
The government has provided more than $1 billion in gas tax funding to municipalities since ,
2004, in addition to the $321 million this year,
The province has developed an equitab~e system to distribute gas tax funding. This funding
formula meets the needs of large municipalities with established transit systems and smaller
municipalities with different transit demands. The formula is based on a ratio of 70 per cent
ridership and 30 per cenT population.
GAS 7AX FUNDING for 2008109 BY MUNICIPALITY
Municipality Allocation
Barrie $1,997,729 -
Belleville $721,825
Blind River $17,325
Bram ton $7,248,122
BranKord $1,251,4B4
Brockville g2~g,gZp
Burlin ton $2,152,078
Cha leau g2q,Zgg
Chatham-Kent $691, 567
Clarence-Rockland $264,032
Cobour $qgp,227
Cochrane $34,949
Collin wood $162,974
Cornwall $558,868
Deseronto
Has~in s ~17,434
Dr den $54,640
Durham Re ion $7,491,142
D sart et AI $15 679
Elliof Lake $139,667
Es anola $15,188
Fort Erie $187,749
Fort Frances $78,588
Greenstone $15,807
Guel h $2,542,306
Halton Hilis $158 328
Hamilton $11,119,297
Hanover
Arran Eiderslie, Brocton, South Bruce and West Gre $274,792 ~
Hearst $42,685
Huntsville $70,544
In ersoll $60,566
Ka uskasin $44,826
Kawartha Lakes $522,808
Kenora $151,436
Kin ston $2,026,499
Lanark Count $210,OdQ
LaSalle $53,151
Leamington
Kin s~ille $139,345
London $9,551,573
Lo alistTownshi $167,231
Machin $10,616
Meaford $49 9~6
Midland $114,289
~ Milton $333,077
Mississau a $15,873,893
Morris-Turnberry
Howick, North Huron and Huron-Kinloss $59,915
Nia ara Falls $1,143,256
Nia ara Re ion $443,344
Norlh Ba $1,164,852
North Perth $19,341
Oakville $2,343,559
Oran eville $277,254
Orillia $340,683
Ottawa $ 36, 771,551
Owen Sound $274,841
Parr Sound $38,330
Peel $732,175
Pembroke $115,120
Laurentian Valle
Perth East $79,304
Peterborou h Cit $1,490,399
Peterborou h Count $44,684
Point Edward $24,392
Port Colborne $96,302
Part Ho e, Town $149,528
Prince Edward Count $66,094
Quinte West
Bri hton $442,525
Renfrew $185, 233
Horton, Admaston/Bromle and Whitewater
Sarnia $928,453
Sault Ste Marie $1,165,205
Schrieber
Terrace Ba $24,~2~
St Catharines $2,599,959
St Marys
Perth South, Thames Centre and Zorra $59,791
St Thomas $437,414
~r
Stratford $459,429
Sudbur Greater $2,767,697
Temiskaming Shores $99,203
Cobalt)
Thorold $252,780
Thunder Ba g~,912,887
Timmins $637,943
Toronto $164,068,790
Trent Hiils $66,011
Wasa a Beach $79,800
Waterloo Re ion $8,756,641
Wawa was Michi icoten $6,434
W el land $566,524
West Elgin $29,209
South West Middlesex, Newbu and Dawn-Eu hemia
West Perth was Mitchell $45,932
Windsor $3,830,221
Woodstock $394,793
York Re ion $14,067,319
Bo6 Nichols, Communications Branch, (416) 327-1158 ontario.ca/transportation•news ~
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