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Fletcher says the effect of her motion is that councillors would now have a $20K limit on reimbursement for legal costs, as per existing City Clerk policy.

Councillors are struggling to understand Fletcher's motion, which is making her quite mad. "I'll just withdraw my motion, because no one understands it!" she declares.

"I think this simply gives us a chance to hire legal counsel, to get advice, to speak to the Integrity Commissioner on our behalf, without coming here on broken glass bending for something more than a 2008 number!" says Fletcher. "But I'm happy to withdraw it if you want me to!"

Councillor Anthony Perruzza lays out a hypothetical scenario in which he puts a shoplifter in a "headlock", and then that shoplifter complains to the Integrity Commissioner. He would then need to hold a fundraiser to pay his legal costs, he explains.

"I could go to a Canadian Tire, chase some guy in a parking lot, tell him I'm going to kick his ass all over the parking lot!" thunders Perruzza. "Now what am I faced with? Charges, and an Integrity Commissioner complaint!"

Anyway, Councillor Stephen Holyday's motion to NOT reimburse Councillor Chris Moise for any additional legal costs related to an Integrity Commissioner investigation FAILS 6-16.

Councillor Burnside's motion to cover just 50% of Moise's legal costs CARRIES 16-6.

Fletcher's motion to remove the $5K threshold for automatic reimbursement of councillor legal costs related to Integrity Commissioner investigations CARRIES 18-4.

On an item about revisiting minimum parking requirements for Scarborough, Councillor Jamaal Myers moves to remove his ward from a clause that could prohibit new developments from requesting on-street parking permits. That CARRIES. So does the item. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...

Up now: a four-storey women's shelter has been planned for 3838 Bloor West in Councillor Holyday's ward. He's got concerns. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...

Holyday says the majority of people he's heard from oppose the shelter, and so he's opposing it. He moves to reduce the allowed height under the zoning from 19 metres to 15 metres.

"The proposal that I have here right-sizes the zoning to the building," says Holyday of the women's shelter. He says the current process of bringing this shelter forward has led to mistrust in the community.

Holyday explains that even if his motion to reduce the permitted height of the shelter passes, he will still oppose the shelter item because that's what his community has asked him to do.

Perks and Bravo explain that the extra permitted height is both part of bringing this site into the harmonized zoning bylaw passed eons ago and making sure the shelter site can be converted into housing when demand changes.

Holyday's motion to reduce zoning permissions for the height of 3838 Bloor West FAILS 4-19.

The rezoning for the new women's shelter at 3838 Bloor West in Holyday's ward is APPROVED 21-2.

Up now: a proposal for a four-storey self-storage facility on Mendota Road in Councillor Morley's ward. She moves to REFUSE the application. The refusal motion CARRIES quickly via show of hands. secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...

Now: an item about various rezonings to make way for the Yonge North subway extension. Councillor Cheng asks about the Star's recent reporting that the project has been delayed. Staff say Metrolinx has "not indicated any change to their timeline." secure.toronto.ca/council/agen...

"So what are we to do with this news in the newspaper?" Cheng asks. "Do we feel like the Toronto Star's article is not... true?" Staff say they can't comment on that, but Metrolinx has confirmed "their schedule has not changed from what was previously provided."

Staff say Metrolinx is in the middle of an RFP for Rail Safety & Operations System for the Yonge North subway extension. "They will not be able to provide any further schedule updates until that RFP is completed and then they have a schedule from the contractor."

On the Yonge North item, Councillor Lily Cheng moves for an updated traffic study on the impacts of construction.

Councillor Josh Matlow rises to rightly defend the reputation of the venerable Toronto Star. "The Star's reporting was 100% completely accurate, and it was based on a TTC report." Matlow notes "the TTC has a history of being far more transparent than Metrolinx."

Pasternak jumps in to defend the province's record. "At least transit is being built," he says. "Look, if anyone's renovated a kitchen or a bathroom in their house, tell me how many times it comes in on budget and on time. Multiply that out by a subway line and you can see what you're dealing with."