Telsec Business Centres Inc.

Telsec downtown Toronto office space  management has been working with the building management, who have been working with federal and municipal law enforcement to provide a safe and secure environment for our tenants during the period leading up to the G20 summit.

Here are some of the recommendations

It is strongly suggested that tenants avoid scheduling meetings between June 21-28, 2010 and also not schedule deliveries during this week. Large deliveries to the building will require 24 hours advance notice.

The Integrated Security Unit for G20 has now announced the security-perimeters and traffic flow patterns which are outlined on the attached map. There will be “Traffic Control Zones” controlled by police within the boundaries of King Street, Queens Quay, Spadina, and Yonge. These are not the boundaries of the security fencing, but rather a security perimeter where there will be increased presence by Toronto Police. Note that 1 Yonge is now within one of these zones and will be primarily affected on June 25-27th for vehicles parking at 1 Yonge. Roadways within this area will experience closures or restrictions. However entry to the surface parking area will remain open at all times.

Traffic delays are anticipated due to motorcades for some dignitaries arriving and leaving the city. There will be temporary traffic and TTC stoppages and people are advised to allow extra time when travelling . The York, Bay and Yonge Streets exit on the eastbound Gardiner Expressway will be closed on Friday June 25 and Saturday June 26, 2010. The York Street ramp onto the westbound Gardiner Expressway will be closed on Sunday June 27, 2010. There will also be street closures and delays due to scheduled marches. 680 News radio will be a source of regular traffic updates around the summit. Union Station will be open during the G20 Summit. However, from the evening of Friday June 25th to Sunday June 27th, exits to Front Street will not be in use. Travelers will have to exit using the east or west side of Union Station. In addition, should security reasons dictate a securing of the perimeter-fencing prior to Friday June 25th, the above changes will also be in effect at that time. Go Transit will be operating regular services during the G20 summit. Any changes to Go Transit services will be communicated as soon as possible and members of the public are encouraged to listen to their local media for up to date information.

Building management decided to secure building stairwells and parking entrance doors at all times (24 hours per day) effective June 18, 2010. Standard security access procedures will apply for the building, however we are also considering changing the hours for card access during the week of June 21-June 25. That information will be distributed in June with further details as the circumstances warrant. Emergency procedures are in place to immediately lockdown the building during business hours, at the discretion of building management or as directed by Police Services. Tenants should ensure all employees have their access card with them AT ALL TIMES. If securing the building is deemed necessary, NO deliveries will be allowed. Visitors will be advised to contact the office space Toronto tenants directly and wait outside for someone to escort them into the building.

To minimize the associated risks of public parking, it may be required to restrict access to monthly parkers only for all or a portion of this event timeline, and not allow paid daily (transient) parkers, as required for security reasons. Tenants holding monthly parking passes will not be impeded from accessing the parking . However, please consider that security motorcades, demonstrations, and police security fencing may hinder routine access and create traffic challenges. Cars may be damaged by protestors, as they have done in other host cities.

Below is a seven point planning guide with some basic advice for persons working in downtown Toronto during the week leading up to G20. Due to the possible challenges and disruptions to traffic and transit, tenants may also wish to consider their own plans for employee remote access or ‘work from home’ alternatives and other disaster recovery planning as a precaution.

Summit Planning Guide

Basic Tenant Advice

Based on previous Summits, we recommend that all persons working downtown be advised to adhere to the following advice from June 21 to June 28:

1. Dress down. If you unexpectedly encounter demonstrators you will be better treated if you are in jeans and a casual shirt than if you are in a business ‘power suit’.
2. Where possible/practical, work from home, ideally for the entire week and especially on June 25, 26, and 27. Be flexible and be prepared to start working from home if there are media reports of demonstrations early in the week.
3. If you must work, especially on June 26 and 27, avoid bringing your vehicle near the ‘hot’ zone. The police may not let your vehicle in and depending on what the demonstrators are doing; you may not be able to use various roads until the police have cleared them of demonstrators.
4. When you are outside of the building, keep any access cards or keys inside a pocket in the front of your pants/skirt. Do not use a lanyard or strap around your neck.
5. If you lose your keys or access card, immediately report it to Building Management or the access card control Administrator.
6. If you are exposed to tear gas or pepper spray, do not rub your eyes or face. Effects from tear gas will diminish when you move away from it. Pepper Spray requires topdown de-contamination starting with your hair. Use only cool water.

One of my favorite places to grab a quick lunch when I am downtown is the Don Juan chip truck.

Don Juan, along with many other chip trucks and hot dog vender’s are going to be displaced from their usual permitted locations that are within the traffic traffic restricted yellow zone and from in front of the Metro Convention Centre that is in the red zone.

So what if one of the G20 delegates have heard of the famous Don Juan chip truck and decides to go out onto front street, only to find the Don Juan has been displaced from his regular spot. A spot that he has had for over 25 years. Where will that delegate  from England or even Barack Obama have to go to find the Don Juan chip truck?

With the leaders of the world 20 top economies heading to Toronto for the June 26th and 27th summit, Toronto Police have unveiled their security zone plan.

Even before the G20 summit, things will get harder for chip trucks like Don Juan. Don’s regular spot is right in front of the Convention Centre that is the red zone.  In the days leading up to the summit, police will be shutting down the red zone for security purposes.

Traffic will not be great around the yellow zone before the summit either. Starting June 7, the Integrated Security Unit (ISU) will begin erecting an eight- to 10-foot chain link fence similar to the fencing used for the Toronto Indy race.  The fence will surround the designated “yellow zone,” bounded by Bay and York streets to the east, Wellington Street West to the north, Windsor Street, Blue Jays Way and Rees Street to the west and Lake Shore and Bremner boulevards to the south. Photo identification will be mandatory for anyone entering this zone from late Friday, June 25 until Sunday, June 27.

While weekday commuters will not be effected by the security checkpoints, anyone who works or lives inside the zone, will have to expect delays.

Luckily I have my Downtown Toronto office space at Telsec, because 1 Yonge Street is located just outside the yellow zone. I will not have to get a special security pass to access the yellow zone. Yes, the summit is on the weekend and would not disrupt most clients, but one of the reasons I chose to have my office space Toronto at Telsec is because it is accessible to me seven days a week.  The only problem I will have that weekend is not being able to walk up to the Metro Convention Centre and enjoy fries from my favorite chip truck – Don Juan’s.