Board of Directors Meeting - February 23, 2018
Friday, February 23, 2018
9:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Ground floor boardroom
931 Yonge St., Toronto, ON
Event description
This meeting is archived. See agenda and minutes below.
Agenda
9:45 - Chair’s Remarks
Action: Information
Pre-read: Verbal Report
Presenter: Chair
9:50 - Consent agenda
a. Approval of Public Meeting Agenda
Action: Approval
Pre-read: Agenda
Presenter: Chair
b. Chair’s Poll re: Conflict of Interest
Action: Declaration
Pre-read: Agenda and Conflict of Interest Policy
Presenter: Chair
c. Confirmation of Board of Directors’ Public Meeting Minutes of January 25, 2018
Action: Approval
Pre-read: Minutes
Presenter: Chair
d. Business Arising from the Public Meeting Minutes and Action Items Update of January 25, 2018
Action: Information
Pre-read: Action Item List
Presenter: Chair
e. OCHE 2017 Work Plan – Performance Report
Action: Information
Pre-read: TCHC:2018-10
Presenter: Commissioner of Housing Equity
f. OCHE - Quarterly Performance Report (Q4 2017)
Action: Information
Pre-read: TCHC:2018-06
Presenter: Commissioner of Housing Equity
g. Allenbury Gardens Revitalization – Transfer of Development Blocks to Partnership
Action: Approval
Pre-read: TCHC:2018-12
Presenter: Chief Development Officer
10:00 - Ombudsman Toronto Report: An Investigation into Toronto Community Housing Corporation’s Medical and Safety at Risk Priority Transfer Process For Tenants
Action: Information
Pre-read: Presentation
Presenter: Ms. Susan E. Opler, Ombudsman Toronto
Since an extensive list of deputants is expected, each deputant will have a maximum of 3 minutes to present their deputation to allow everyone an opportunity to speak.
a. President and CEO’s Report – December 2017
Action: Information
Pre-read: TCHC:2018-08
Presenter: President and Chief Executive Officer
b. Tenant's First Update
Action: Information
Pre-read: Verbal Update
Presenter: President and Chief Executive Officer
11:15 - TSC Chair's Report
Pre-read: Verbal Report
Presenter: TSC Chair
a. Commissioner of Housing Equity – 2018 Performance Objectives
Action: Approval
Pre-read: TCHC:2018-01
Presenter: Commissioner of Housing Equity
11:25 - GCHRCC Chair’s Report
Pre-read: Verbal Report
Presenter: GCHRCC Chair
a. Policy Approval: Privacy Policy
Action: Approval
Pre-read: TCHC:2018-05
Presenter: GCHRCC Chair
11:35 - BIFAC Chair’s Report
Pre-read: Verbal Report
Presenter: BIFAC Chair
TERMINATION
Minutes
The Board of Directors (“Board”) of the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (“TCHC”) held a public meeting on February 23, 2018, at 9:59 a.m. in the Main Floor Conference Room at 931 Yonge Street, Toronto.
Directors in Attendance:
Kevin Marshman (Chair)
Councillor Ana Bailão
Robert Carlo
Councillor Joe Cressy
Councillor Frank Di Giorgio
Vincent Gasparro (left at 11:40 a.m.)
Joseph Kennedy
Colin Lynch
Pamela Taylor
Catherine Wilkinson
Directors Absent:
Councillor Michael Ford
Linda Jackson
Management Present:
Marta Asturi, Legal Counsel & Assistant Corporate Secretary
Cathy Barker, Vice President, Human Resources
Angela Cooke, Vice President, Resident and Community Services
Rose-Ann Lee, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer
Ismail Ibrahim, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
Hugh Lawson, Director, Strategic Planning & Stakeholder Relations
Graham Leah, Vice President, Asset Management
Bruce Malloch, Director, Strategic Communications
Mark McDonald, Vice President, Information & Technology Services
Kathy Milsom, President & Chief Executive Officer
Sheila Penny, Vice President, Facilities Management
Vincent Tong, Chief Development Officer
Guests/Presenters:
Ms. Susan Opler, Toronto Ombudsman
Mr. Kwame Addo, Director, Investigations and Conflict Resolution, Ombudsman Toronto
Ms. Melanie Martin, OCHE, Senior Advisor
A quorum being present, Mr. Marshman, the Chair called the meeting to order and Ms. Zina served as recording secretary.
Item 1 - Chair's Remarks
The Chair welcomed everyone to the Board meeting and provided the Board with the following highlights since the last Board meeting.
Toronto Ombudsman
The Chair welcomed Toronto Ombudsman, Ms. Susan Opler, to the Board meeting to address her report on TCHC’s priority transfer process. The report contains 21 recommendations for improving the integrity and fairness of the process which TCHC agrees with and supports. The direction provided by the Ombudsman will, in fact, guide TCHC in ensuring that TCHC looks at how to improve all aspects of its internal transfer process.
Tenants First
Since the last Board meeting, Toronto City Council has approved some next steps in the Tenants First project. This includes a new interim process for selecting two tenants to sit on this Board.
The application process has been underway since February 5th, with an application deadline of March 4th. The City is hosting information sessions for tenants who are interested in applying. The two tenants who will be selected through this process will serve a two-year term beginning in 2018.
The Board values the contributions of TCHC tenant directors and the Chair acknowledged and thanked the two tenants currently serving on the Board, Mr. Robert Carlo and Ms. Catherine Wilkinson, for everything they do for the corporation and for tenants. The Board looks forward to future updates on Tenants First. City officials have indicated that they will be reporting further to City Council later in 2018.
Confidential Session Updates
The confidential session took place after the public session, and therefore the Chair did not report on this item at the meeting.
Public Session
The Chair outlined the items to be discussed in the public session.
Deputations
The Chair polled for any deputations to be heard at the meeting. The following deputations were presented:
- Item 3 – Ombudsman Toronto Report: An Investigation into TCHC’s medical and Safety at Risk Priority Transfer Process for Tenants (Deputed by Cathy Birch, Anita Dressler, Leona Lowe, Robert Fredrickson, Migel Avila)
- Item 4A – President and CEO’s Report – December 2017 (Deputed by Rhonda Ross)
Consent Agenda Items
Item 2 - Approval of Consent Agenda Items
The following consent agenda items were not held for discussion:
- Item 2A – Approval of Public Meeting Agenda as amended;
- Item 2B – Chair’s Poll re: Conflict of Interest;
- Item 2F – OCHE – Quarterly Performance Report (Q4 2017); and
- Item 2G –Allenbury Gardens Revitalization: Transfer of Development Blocks to Partnership.
The following consent agenda items were held for discussion:
- Item 2C – Confirmation of Board of Directors’ Public Meeting Minutes of January 25, 2018;
- Item 2D – Business Arising from Public Meeting Minutes and Action Items Update of January 25, 2018; and
- Item 2E – OCHE 2017 Work Plan – Performance Report.
Motion carried
ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Lynch, seconded by Mr. Kennedy and carried, the Board approved the following consent agenda items not held for discussion: Items 2A, 2B, 2F and 2G.
Item 2A - Approval of Public Meeting Agenda
The agenda was approved with the following changes:
- Item 4B – Tenant’s First Update – Deferred to next Board meeting.
- Item 5A – Commissioner of Housing Equity – 2018 Performance Objectives - Deferred to next Board meeting.
Motion carried
ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Lynch, seconded by Mr. Kennedy and carried, the Board approved the revised agenda.
Item 2B - Chair's Poll re: Conflict of Interest
The Chair requested members of the Board of Directors to indicate any agenda item in which they have a conflict of interest, together with the nature of the interest. No conflicts were declared.
Item 2C - Confirmation of Board of Directors' Public Meeting Minutes of January 25, 2018
The Board had before it the draft Board minutes for January 25, 2018.
Management advised the Board that the appropriate department has followed up with Ms. Duggan regarding her concerns raised in her deputation at the last Board meeting.
Motion carried
ON MOTION DULY MADE by Ms. Taylor, seconded by Mr. Lynch and carried, the Board confirmed the above-captioned minutes without amendments.
Item 2D - Business Arising from the Public Meeting Minutes and Action Items Update of January 25, 2018
Action Item: The Board requested for Management to confirm whether TCHC minutes are on the public website at the next TCHC Board meeting.
Motion carried
ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Lynch, seconded by Ms. Taylor and carried, the Board received the report for information as amended.
Item 2E - OCHE 2017 Work Plan – Performance Report, TCHC:2018-10
The Board had before it the above-captioned report (TCHC:2018-10) from the Commissioner of Housing Equity.
In Ms. Summers’ absence, Ms. Melanie Martin spoke to this agenda item and answered questions raised by the Board. Mr. Leah advised the Board that root causes to top 3 findings of non-compliance have not yet been determined; however, management is working collaboratively with OCHE to provide this data along with solutions.
Motion carried
ON MOTION DULY MADE by Ms. Taylor, seconded by Mr. Lynch and carried, the Board received the report for information.
Item 2F - OCHE – Quarterly Performance Report (Q4 2017), TCHC:2018-06
The Board had before it the above-captioned report (TCHC:2018-06) from the Commissioner of Housing Equity.
Motion carried
ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Kennedy, seconded by Mr. Lynch and carried, the Board received the report for information.
Item 2G - Allenbury Gardens Revitalization – Transfer of Development Blocks to Partnership, TCHC:2018-12
The Board had before it the above-captioned report (TCHC:2018-12) from the Chief Development Officer.
Motion carried
ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Lynch, seconded by Mr. Kennedy and carried, the Board approved the recommendations in this report to:
- authorize the transfer of Parts 4, 5 and 6 on the R-Plan 66R-29296 prepared by J.D. Barnes Ltd, dated May 5, 2017, from Toronto Community Housing Corporation (“TCHC”) to 2602811 Ontario Inc. (the “Nominee”);
- authorize the future transfer or mortgage by the Nominee of Parts 4, 5 and 6, Plan 66R-290-296;
- authorize the encumbrance of Toronto Community Housing lands in each of the Allenbury Gardens Revitalization phases, with reciprocal agreements in connection with the shared facilities in the development; and
- authorize the Chief Development Officer (or designate) to execute any and all documents as may be necessary to give effect to the above recommendation.
Item 3 - Ombudsman Toronto Report: An Investigation into TCHC's Medical and Safety at Risk Priority Transfer Process for Tenants (Verbal Report)
The City of Toronto Ombudsman, Ms. Susan Opler, provided the Board with a presentation regarding her findings related to an investigation into TCHC’s medical and safety at risk priority transfer process for tenants.
Some highlights from the PowerPoint presentation included the following:
- How issue arose – 2 complaints;
- What Ombudsman’s Office did;
- TCHC’s Internal Tenant Transfer categories;
- Substantive unfairness, procedural unfairness and equitable unfairness;
- Bloated and stagnant waiting list;
- Length of time on the medical and safety at risk priority transfer waiting list; and
- Length of time on the over-housed priority waiting list.
The Ombudsman’s office has made 21 recommendations, to be implemented as soon as possible.
Ms. Opler answered questions from the members of the Board. Points of discussion included the following:
- Distinction between Special Priority Policy (“SPP”) and over-housed waiting list.
- SPP timelines.
- New “Crisis” category – narrower and more focused.
- Ombudsman’s investigations process and why the Board are always the “last to know”.
- Management considering stakeholder review – Advisory Committee.
- Public consultations and communication to tenants is essential.
- Importance of transparency with tenants about expectations, avoiding false hope, treating tenants consistently and fairly.
- Low housing stock and ensure process is clearly stated to tenants.
- Ongoing issue of tenant’s low preference list; one of the recommendations is that households on “crisis” waiting list have limited opportunity to decline offers.
Ms. Opler advised the Board that her office is to report back to City Council in Q1 2019 on the status of TCHC’s implementations of the 21 recommendations.
The following verbal deputations were received with respect to this report:
- Cathy Birch;
- Anita Dressler;
- Leona Lowe;
- Robert Fredrikson; and
- Miguel Avila.
Action Item: Report by management at the next TCHC Board meeting (April 30th) on its action plan and to identify process/timeline to respond to internal transfer requests.
Motion carried
ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Bailão, seconded by Mr. Gasparro and carried, the Board received the report for information.
Item 4A - President and Chief Executive Officer's Report – December 2017, TCHC:2018-08
Deputation by Rhonda Ross was received with respect to this report.
The Board had before it the above-captioned report (TCHC:2018-08) from the President and Chief Executive Officer.
Ms. Milsom highlighted the following results and key trends from the President’s and CEO’s Report for December 2017, including metrics relating to:
- Service Request Response;
- Client Care Centre;
- Building Capital Renewals;
- Vacancies;
- Arrears;
- Financial Performance – December Results;
- Operating Results and Operating Expenses;
- Net Income (Loss);
- Net Capital Expenditures; and
- Fire Life Safety and Physical Life Safety.
The Board requested that in future the fire life safety results be included in a separate report.
Motion carried
ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Bailão, seconded by Mr. Gasparro and carried, the Board received the report for information.
Item 4B - Tenant's First Update
Deferred to the next Board meeting.
Item 5 - Tenant Services Committee (TSC) Chair's Report
No comments or remarks from the Chair of TSC were received at this time due to her absence at today’s meeting.
Item 5A - Commission of Housing Equity – 2018 Performance Objectives, TCHC:2018-09
Due to Ms. Summers’ absence at today’s meeting, this item was deferred to the next Board meeting.
Item 6 - Governance, Communications, Human Resources and Compensation Committee (GCHRCC) Chair's Report
The Chair of the GCHRCC provided a verbal update to the Board on the activity at GCHRCC that met on February 5, 2018, which included the following:
- Collective bargaining;
- Compensation issues;
- Strategic communication plan; and
- Privacy policy.
Item 6A - Policy Approval: Privacy Policy, TCHC:2018-05
The Board had before it the above-captioned report (TCHC: 2018-05) from the General Counsel & Corporate Secretary.
Mr. Ibrahim answered questions raised by the Board. Topics discussed included the following:
- Training on limitations; and
- Tenants’ rights to consent or deny to pictures being taken.
Motion carried
ON MOTION DULY MADE by Ms. Taylor, seconded by Mr. Lynch and carried, the Board approved the recommendations in this report:
Approve the Privacy Policy (“Policy”) included as Attachment 1 to this report.
Item 7 - Building Investment, Finance and Audit Committee (BIFAC) Chair's Report
No comments or remarks from the Chair of BIFAC were received at this time.
TERMINATION
The Board resolved to terminate the public meeting at 11:58 a.m.
Sonia Fung
Committee Secretary
Phone:
416-981-4286
Email:
Sonia.Fung@torontohousing.ca
