Social Planning Toronto

Reporting back from SPT’s 2011 Research & Policy Roundtable Forum, “Who’s in Charge?”

Posted on 14. Mar, 2011 by admin.

On February 24th, 2011, over 100 participants attended Social Planning Toronto’s annual Research & Policy Forum at Metro Hall entitled, Who’s in Charge? The impact of agencies, boards and commissions on public accountability and service delivery.

The objective of the forum was to invite key experts, academics, community advocates and policy-makers to engage in a critical discussion on the proliferation of arm’s length government agencies, boards and commissions in Canada, Ontario and Toronto. We discussed the impacts of ABCs on public accountability and service delivery by exploring their roles and responsibilities in specific policy areas of health, transit, public safety and security and urban/municipal planning. Agencies such as Metrolinx, the LHINs, and the Ontario Municipal Board, have considerable authority over public services, however, very little is known about how they function, their mandate or how decisions are made. Our intention was to explore some of the key issues regarding accountability and service delivery that have emerged within these domains.

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Call for Nominations to the Social Planning Toronto Board of Directors

Posted on 02. Mar, 2011 by admin.

SPT is governed by a 15-person volunteer Board of Directors elected by individual community and organizational membership at the Annual General Membership Meeting (AGM). The SPT’s Annual General Membership Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 10^th at Hart House – Music Room – 7 Hart House Circle – University of Toronto . There will be 8 vacancies on the Board of Directors.  This is a call for nominations to fill these vacancies at the AGM.

All SPT Board members serve as individuals committed to the purposes and mission of the SPT and to the important role of independent community social planning in helping to shape the quality of life for all of Toronto’s residents. Although Board members do not represent any particular community, constituency, or organization in Board service, the composition of the SPT Board should reflect as much as possible the character and nature of our community. In that regard, in recruiting candidates for nomination to the Board, the Nominations Committee will apply the following considerations:

• People of colour who bring a perspective that encompasses the general experience of visible minority groups in the City.
• People from diverse ethnic identities and cultural traditions and backgrounds.
• People who understand from their personal experience, work, and/or volunteer activity issues important to vulnerable or marginalized community members (e.g. disability, sexual orientation, low income, age, etc.)
• People who live, work, or volunteer from all parts of the City geographically.
• People from a variety of professional or sectoral perspectives, such as labour, business, public service, faith communities, academia, social justice movements.
• Gender balance.

This is consistent with SPT’s commitment to principles of access and equity in its staff, board, committee and volunteer recruitment.

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Video from the 2011 Research & Policy Roundtable – “WHO’S IN CHARGE?” is now online.

Posted on 02. Mar, 2011 by admin.

The theme of the 2011 roundtable was “Who’s in Charge? The impact of agencies, boards & commissions on public accountability & service delivery”.

During this forum we were engaged in a critical discussion on the proliferation of arm’s length government agencies, boards and commissions in Canada, Ontario and Toronto. We discussed the impacts of ABCs on public accountability and service delivery by exploring their roles and responsibilities in specific policy areas of health, transit, public safety and security and urban/municipal planning. These organizations – entities such as the Local Health Integration Networks, Metrolinx, Ontario Municipal Board, and the Ontario Civilian Police Commission – have considerable authority over public services, however, very little is known about how they function, their mandate or how decisions are made. Our intention was to explore some of the key issues regarding accountability and service delivery that have emerged within these domains.

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Job Posting for Contract Position (Project Co-ordinator – Local Immigration Partnership (LIP))

Posted on 01. Mar, 2011 by admin.

Contract Position (Project ends March 31, 2012)
Position:           PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR – Local Immigration Partnership (LIP)
Contract:          35 hours per week
Location:          York South-Weston
Reporting to:   Community Planner (York)

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Check out the latest Issue of our e-bulletin, Soundbites. (March 1, 2011)

Posted on 01. Mar, 2011 by admin.

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