It's a council meeting that will seem never-ending, before councillors get a long break for summer.
There are more than 260 items on the agenda of this month's council meeting at Toronto city hall.
Councillors started the long meeting by voting unanimously to start restructuring Toronto Community Housing. Staff will look into creating a new entity to run the 83 seniors buildings at TCH. Councillor Ana Bailao says the move will improve services for senior tenants, and make the agency more accountable.
Also on the agenda is a report that deals with climate change, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 80 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050. Staff have said the plan would cost $6.7-million next year.
Councillors will also debate a King St. pilot project that would prioritize streetcars on the busy road. Drivers would be forced to turn right at each intersection.
One of the reasons for the lengthy agenda is that this is the last council meeting of the summer. The next one will take place in October, with most committee meetings on break until September.
Many councillors say the break is necessary to allow them to focus on ward issues.
"People take holidays when they can, but you can never be too far from city hall if you're a city councillor," councillor Joe Mihevc says.
Budget chief Gary Crawford adds that city staff also need the break from meetings.
"We put a lot of demands on our staff during the year, and I think the summer months give them the opportunity, if anything, to catch up," Crawford says.
Councillor Josh Matlow says constituents would not be happy if important decisions were made in the summer months.
"You want to hold committee meetings when people can come and follow the agendas and make deputations," Matlow says.