Toronto's public works committee discussed two controversial issues at Thursday's meeting, passing motions to clarify an already existing bylaw preventing sleeping on streets and to build more bike lanes.
The committee told council that it supports changing the Toronto Municipal Code's streets and sidewalk policy to make it illegal to dwell, camp or lodge on sidewalks or streets.
However, city staff said that the new bylaw would not target the homeless.
If approved by council at the end of the month, the bylaw would be used to remove sleeping bags and other items used by the homeless when the city needs to do work on a sidewalk or roadway.
The new motion would clarify a bylaw already in place that allows the city to remove individuals for obstructing sidewalks and streets.
The bylaw would not apply to city parks, so it would have no affect on Occupy Toronto protesters in St. James Park.
The committee also approved a plan to build separate bicycle lanes on Richmond and Adelaide streets between Bathurst and Sherbourne streets.
The proposed bike lanes would be separated from the street by a curb would cost an estimated $1.2 million.
An environmental audit will be conducted with the lanes potentially being installed by 2013.
The committee also agreed to ask staff to launch a second study looking at expanding the separated lanes in the future to the east and west to link up with existing paths.
