Toronto Works and Emergency Services
 Toronto Works and Emergency Services was a former City of Toronto department that was responsible for a variety of services including water and sewage, solid waste management, and snow removal. HistoryThe department took over public works departments from the former cities of Metro Toronto, as well as waste management portion of Metro Toronto Works. In 2002, the city launched a review of water and waste water matters, which recommended the creation of a municipal service board.[1] However, this was strongly opposed by the public and it was recommended instead that the Water and Wastewater Services Division become a unit within the department of Works and Emergency Services.[1] OrganizationThe department was organised into two divisions:
Initially, the division reported to a deputy city manager but, with the appointment of a new executive committee[clarification needed], the division came to report to chair of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee. ActivitiesThe department had responsibilities for a number of services, including:
Water and sewageToronto maintained a network of water filtration plants, pumping stations and reservoirs providing water to the city. Some facilities were located outside the city, with two reservoirs and one water tank located in York Region. Sewage treatment facilities were located along Lake Ontario to treat water from households and industry and commercial consumers before there were released into the lake, while sludge was sent to dumps and other facilities in the province. The department also spearheaded public works projects to, amongst other things, repairs sewers, manage water networks, and maintain city facilities. For example, in 1999, Toronto piloted front-loading washing machines in public housing to assess water and energy savings.[3] Toronto's Works and Emergency Services Department partnered with industry (including Maytag Appliances, Enbridge Consumers Gas, Procter & Gamble and Harco Company) and the Toronto Housing Company.[3] In 1998, Toronto Water took over as the body responsible for water and sewage treatment in the city. Solid Waste ManagementThe department was responsible for the city's solid waste management, including green bin and grey box garbage collection and blue box recycling. The city once owned landfills in the Greater Toronto Area but later solid waste was shipped to a city-owned landfill near St. Thomas, Ontario and another facility in Michigan. However, services for the administrative district of Etobicoke were contracted out to a private firm under a contract entered into by the former city of Etobicoke. The department offered public tours of its waste facilities for people interested in learning more about recycling and garbage treatment and disposal.[4] Snow RemovalThe department was also responsible for salting and plowing city roads in winter, with 600 snowplows and 300 sidewalk snow removal equipment run by 1300 personnel. OtherIn 2001, the department participated in "Turn It Off" a multi-sector partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.[5] FleetThe department had a fleet of vehicles, including:
References
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
