Toronto Area Safety Coalition (TASC)
Terms of Reference
VISION
Zero injuries in the Greater Toronto Area
MISSION
TASC is a collaborative network of diverse public service organizations that works to reduce injury through networking, education, evaluation and advocacy.
OBJECTIVES
TASC brings together organizations to:
- Seek resources to advance and sustain the operation of TASC
- Network, collaborate, and exchange injury prevention information with stakeholders
- Support and promote injury prevention initiatives of the partnering agencies
- Encourage active lifestyles that reflect safe choices
- Develop and implement injury prevention action and awareness initiatives
- Provide access to information and increase awareness about injury prevention issues
- Advocate for public education and injury prevention strategies
MEMBERSHIP & VOTING
Membership is open to public service organizations that have a commitment to injury prevention and support the Mission, Vision and Objectives of TASC.
Membership is voluntary. New members are approved by committee vote.
Member Participation
Meeting attendance and active participation are expected from all TASC members. Members must attend at least fifty (50) percent of all meetings per year. Failure to do so could result in reconsideration of themember’s status. Members may identify an alternate should they be unable to attend meetings.
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
TheChair/Co-Chairs will be elected by member vote and will:
- Maintain and co-ordinate the overall vision of TASC and move the group in a positive direction
- Set the agendas and convene TASC meetings
- Provide necessary materials to facilitate the work of TASC
- Chair each meeting, be the spokesperson and/or representative of TASC and when not available to chair, he/she will designate an alternative to assume the role of chair
- Post meeting notes, provided by the Recorder, to the TASC microsite ( following each meeting
TheTreasurermust represent the member organization housing TASC’s finances and must have direct access to TASC’s financial information. The Treasurer will:
- Keep accurate accounts of all financial transactions of TASC
- Receive all monies on behalf of TASC
- Authorize all financial transactions on behalf of TASC
- Present a statement of accounts on behalf of TASC at each meeting
TheRecorderrole will rotate among members from meeting to meeting, in alphabetical order by organization name. At each meeting, the Recorder will:
- Record meeting notes including decisions, action items, and persons responsible
- Provide these meeting notes to the Chair/Co-Chairs within 7 days following the meeting date for distribution to members
MEETING FREQUENCY
TASC meets on the second Thursday of every month or at the call of the Chair/Co-Chairs.
DECISION-MAKING
Quorum
A minimum of five (5) member agencies is necessary for decision-making at a TASC meeting.
Voting
Motions are carried on a simple majority of votes. The Chair/Co-Chairs shall not vote unless to serve the purpose of breaking a tie. The Chair/Co-Chairs shares one (1) vote.
Each member organization present at a meeting shall have the right to exercise one vote, except where there are multiple representatives from different disciplines within the same organization.
FUNDING & SPONSORSHIP
TASC is not funded by any agency, organization, government or other entity.
From time to time, a non-profit or for-profit agency, organization, or government may provide project funding to TASC in order to provide services or programming that meet similar objectives to that of the funding party.
Funding will not be accepted by any entity related to products that are in direct conflict with injury prevention including, but not limited to alcohol, drugs or tobacco.
TASC will not endorse any product or business.
If the presence of a particular funder or sponsor at an event or other public forum creates a conflict for an individual TASC member agency, that agency may abstain from attending.
Criteria for Funding Opportunities
- Must align with those of TASC?
- Must not have a direct conflict of interest?
- Must not stand to gain financially as a direct result of the funding or any associated connection to the project or initiative?
PARTNERSHIPS
TASC may form partnerships with non-member agencies on an ad hoc basis. Partnership expectations should be established with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
No member or individual shall derive business advantage or financial gain as a result of participation in meetings or activities or through the use of confidential information obtained from participating in meetings and activities.
Members are obligated to declare any perceived or actual conflict of interest.
Certain meeting discussions may be viewed as being in conflict of interest should a consulting firm, agency representative(s) or individual(s) be present. In such situations the consulting firm, agency representative(s) or individual(s) shall find it acceptable to not being present during such discussions.
Where conflict of interest is in dispute, the final determination will be made by the Chair/Co-Chairs or designate present.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
All properties developed exclusively by TASC including but not limited to materials/campaigns/events will be owned by TASC except where work is contracted by a third party in which case ownership rights will be negotiated.
Recognition will be given to TASC when properties (including but not limited to materials/campaigns/events) are used.
No member or members will claim exclusive ownership of TASC properties (including but not limited to materials/campaigns/events).
CONFIDENTIALITY
Private information shared in the course of TASC business is to remain confidential and is not to be used externally for the personal or financial gain of any member.
TASC – Terms of Reference
Table 1. TASC Current Member Organizations and Allotted Votes*
City of Toronto – Parks, Forestry & Recreation / 1
City of Toronto – Toronto Police Service / 1
City of Toronto - Toronto Public Health / 1
City of Toronto – Transportation Services / 1
Metrolinx / 1
Ontario Injury Prevention Resource Centre / 1
Ontario Ministry of Transportation / 1
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre / 1
Toronto District School Board/ Toronto Catholic District School Board, Transportation Safety / 1
York Region – Public Health Services / 1
York Region – York Regional Police / 1
TOTAL / 11
*current as of the approved date of this document
TASC – Terms of Reference