HomeMy WebLinkAboutOPS 29-23Report to Council
Report Number: OPS 29-23
Date: November 27, 2023
From: Brian Duffield
Director, Operations
Subject: Regional Roads Boulevard Maintenance Review
-File: A-1440
Recommendation:
1. That Report OPS 29-23 regarding Regional Roads Boulevard Maintenance Review be
received for information.
Executive Summary: At the Council Meeting of September 25, 2023, by way of
Resolution #271/23, Council directed that the CAO reach out to the Region of Durham to
discuss a willingness of the City of Pickering to assume the boulevard maintenance on
Regional roads in Pickering on a contractual arrangement, similar to the other lower-tier
municipalities in Durham, and report back to Council in advance of the preparation of the
Mayor’s 2024 Current Operating Budget.
Currently, the Region of Durham administers a contracted service to maintain all Regional road
boulevards within the City of Pickering using their own scope of work and level of service
standards. The contract is for the maintenance of urbanized boulevards, road islands, and
medians.
Based on frequent customer care calls to the City, and acknowledged by members of Council,
the current level of service provided by the Region of Durham’s contractor has not been at an
acceptable standard. This inconsistent level of service is obvious in locations where Regional
and City boulevards abut, and the difference in maintenance can be compared. The level of
service established by the City to maintain road boulevards, in an acceptable manner, appears
to be well above the standard of service provided on Regional boulevards.
The Region of Durham’s contracted service for road boulevard maintenance in Pickering is
being performed by an external service provider that has completed year one of a three year
contract term. Based on the improved contract performance reported by the Region and the
term of the contract remaining, staff recommend that the City continue with the current
boulevard maintenance program delivery model as is for 2024.
Financial Implications: The Boulevard Maintenance program on Regional road
allowances are the responsibility of the Region of Durham funded from the Region Levy
contribution from Municipal property taxes. As such, there is no cost implications to the City for
the delivery of the current regional boulevard maintenance program.
OPS 29-23 November 27, 2023
Subject: Regional Roads Boulevard Maintenance Review Page 2
Discussion: Municipalities in Ontario are required to maintain grass boulevards within the
road allowance of City roads. In Pickering, the grass maintenance of a boulevard is governed
by the Boulevard Maintenance By-law 6831/08, which states that it is the property owner's
responsibility to maintain the municipal boulevard. Under this By-law, the City has the
responsibility to maintain the boulevards of rear frontages. The City’s current Grass
Maintenance program utilizes the Public Works’ staff, vehicles, and equipment to maintain
grass boulevards on City road allowances not adjacent to residential or business addresses.
Boulevards on Regional road allowances are maintained by service providers contracted and
paid for by the Region of Durham.
On an annual basis, the maintenance of 19.5 hectares of Regional road boulevards, road
islands and medians within the City of Pickering are contracted out by the Region of Durham.
Based on frequent customer care calls, and as noted by members of Council, numerous
complaints from Pickering residents have been received due to a lack of consistency with the
quality of work where the service abuts Pickering roads. The Region of Durham is currently in
year one of a three year contracted out service for the maintenance of Regional roads in the
City of Pickering.
City staff have had extensive conversations with Regional staff to explore options to correct the
condition of regional boulevards in Pickering. Regional staff have reported that the contracted
service provider was a new vendor to the Region and had experienced initial challenges
establishing the Boulevard Maintenance program to an acceptable level of service. Regional
staff have, throughout the first year of service, devoted time and resources to ensure that the
vendor understands their contractual obligation for service, and Regional staff reported that in
the last two months they consistently achieved this standard.
The Region believe there to be no performance grounds to cancel the contract now that the
vendor has achieved compliance and are recommending that the vendor continue with the
service delivery subject to satisfactory performance in 2024.
Based on the Region’s reported performance improvement of the current service provided and
the term of their contract remaining, staff recommend that the City continue with the current
boulevard maintenance program delivery model as is for 2024. At the Region’s request, City
staff will actively collaborate with Regional staff to streamline the notification of Pickering
residents’ customer care calls to the appropriate Regional contract administration staff to
speed up response time. Regional staff have reported timely correction by the service provider
to performance concerns but note significant delays in receiving action items arising from
Pickering. City staff will commit the time to streamline this process.
Additional staff will monitor the level of service performance for 2024 and report back to
Council with further recommendation should it fall short of expected standards.
Attachment: Council Resolution #281/23
OPS 29-23 November 27, 2023
Subject: Regional Roads Boulevard Maintenance Review Page 3
Prepared By: Endorsed/Approved By:
Rob Gagen Vince Plouffe, OAA, MRAIC
Manager, Parks & Property (Acting) Director, Operations
BD:nm
Recommended for the consideration
of Pickering City Council
Marisa Carpino, M.A.
Chief Administrative Officer
Original Signed By:Original Signed By:
Original Signed By:
Legislative Services Division
Clerk’s Office
Directive Memorandum
September 29, 2023
To: Marisa Carpino
Chief Administrative Officer
From: Susan Cassel
City Clerk
Subject: Direction as per Minutes of the Meeting of City Council held on
September 25, 2023
Regional Boulevard Maintenance
Council Decision Resolution #281/23
Please take any action deemed necessary.
Susan Cassel
WHEREAS, Region of Durham Works currently contracts out the maintenance of
Regional boulevards in the City of Pickering;
And Whereas, the City of Pickering is the only lower-tier municipality in Durham that
has not entered into an agreement with The Region of Durham to provide boulevard
maintenance;
And Whereas, the quality of work provided by the current contractor hired by The
Region of Durham has not been satisfactory and has resulted in complaints from
residents due to lack of consistency with the quality of work where it abuts Pickering
roads;
And Whereas, The Region of Durham has entered into contracts with all other lower-
tier municipalities who provide boulevard maintenance in their respective
Municipalities;
And Whereas, The City of Pickering Operations/Parks Staff provides excellent service
maintaining public boulevards;
Now therefore be it resolved that the Council of The Corporation of the City of
Pickering:
1.Direct the CAO to reach out to The Region of Durham to discuss a willingness
of the City of Pickering to assume the boulevard maintenance on Regional
Roads in Pickering on a contractual arrangement, similar to the other lower-tier
municipalities in Durham; and,
2. That the CAO report back to Council in advance of the preparation of the
Mayor’s 2024 Current Operating Budget.
Attachment 1 to Report OPS 29-23
Copy: Director, Operations
Chief Administrative Officer