Board of Directors Meeting - March 24, 2017

Agenda

1. Chair’s remarks

Action: Information

Pre-read: Verbal report 5 minutes

Presenter: Chair

2. Consent agenda

Action: -

Pre-read: -

Presenter: Chair

2a. Approval of Public Meeting Agenda

Action: Approval

Pre-read: Agenda

Presenter: Chair

2b. Chair’s Poll re: Conflict of Interest

Action: Declaration

Pre-read: Agenda and Conflict of Interest Policy

Presenter: Chair

2c. Confirmation of Board of Directors’ Public Meeting Minutes of February 24, 2017

Action: Approval

Pre-read: Minutes

Presenter: Chair

2d. Business Arising from the Public Meeting Minutes and Action Items Update

Action: Information

Pre-read: Action item list

Presenter: Chair

2e. City and TCHC Staff - Strategic and Operational Meetings

Action: Information

Pre-read: TCHC:2017-26

Presenter: Interim President and CEO

2f. OCHE – 2016 Work Plan Performance Report

Action: Information

Pre-read: TCHC:2017-09

Presenter: Chair, RSC

2g. Chief Internal Auditor: 2016 Annual Report

Action: Information

Pre-read: TCHC:2017-23

Presenter: Chief Internal Auditor

3. Interim President and Chief Executive Officer’s remarks

Action: Information

Pre-read: Verbal report

Presenter: Interim President and CEO

3a. Monthly President’s Report

Action: Information

Pre-read: TCHC:2017-27 15 minutes

Presenter: Interim President and CEO

4. RSC Chair’s report

Action: Information

Pre-read: Verbal report 5 minutes

Presenter: Chair, RSC

4a. Vacancy Management Update

Action: Information

Pre-read: TCHC:2017-25 15 minutes

Presenter: Vice President, Asset Management

4b. Arrears Management Update

Action: Information

Pre-read: TCHC: 2017-28 15 minutes

Presenter: Vice President, Asset Management

5. GCHRCC Chair’s report

Action: Information

Pre-read: Verbal report 5 minutes

Presenter: Chair, GCHRCC

6. BIFAC Chair’s report

Action: Information

Pre-read: Verbal report 5 minutes

Presenter: Chair, BIFAC

6a. Leslie Nymark: Transfer of Block to Partnership

Action: Approval

Pre-read: TCHC:2017-16 10 minutes

Presenter: Vice President, Development (Interim)

6b. 2017 SEP Funding Approval

Action: Approval

Pre-read: TCHC:2017-22 10 minutes

Presenter: Vice President, Facilities Management

7. 2017-2018 Corporate Workplan

Action: Information

Pre-read: TCHC:2017-29 10 minutes

Presenter: Strategic Planning & Stakeholder Relations

8. Fire Safety Program – Update (Presentation to Follow)

Action: Information

Pre-read: Verbal Report 15 minutes

Presenter: Chief Operating Officer

TERMINATION

Minutes

The Board of Directors of the Toronto Community Housing Corporation held a public meeting on March 24, 2017 at 10:33 a.m. in in the Main Floor Conference Room at 931 Yonge Street, Toronto.

Directors in Attendance:

Bud Purves (Chair) Councillor

Ana Bailão Robert

Carlo Councillor Joe Cressy

Vincent Gasparro

Linda Jackson

Joseph Kennedy (left at 11:50 a.m.)

Colin Lynch (left at 11:29 a.m.)

Catherine Wilkinson

Directors Absent:

Councillor Frank Di Giorgio

Councillor Michael Ford

Kevin Marshman (Vice Chair)

Pamela Taylor

Management present:

Angela Cooke, Vice President, Resident and Community Services

Leslie Gash, Chief Development Officer

Rose-Ann Lee, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer (Acting)

Ismail Ibrahim, Director of Compliance and Legal Counsel

Mark Johnson, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary

Hugh Lawson, Director, Strategic Planning and Stakeholder Relations

Graham Leah, Vice President, Asset Management

Bruce Malloch, Director, Strategic Communications

Mark McDonald, Vice President, IT

Ted Millward, Legal Counsel, Corporate

Lisa Murray, Manager, Media and Public Relations

Sheila Penny, Vice President, Facilities Management

Greg Spearn, President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) (Interim) / Chief Development Officer

Cynthia Summers, Commissioner of Housing Equity Wayne Tuck, Chief Operating Officer

Michael Vear, Chief Internal Auditor

A quorum being present, the Chair called the meeting to order and Ms. Charmaine Zina served as recording secretary.

Item 1 – Chair’s Remarks

The Chair welcomed everyone to the Board meeting and identified the following items that were addressed in the in-camera and closed sessions:

• CEO Search. The Chair began with an update on the Board’s search for a President and Chief Executive Officer: The process is continuing and is nearing a conclusion. Although the Board had hoped to conclude the process by the end of March, some more time is still needed to complete what has been a full, rigorous and exhaustive search to find the best candidate. Given the importance of the decision to TCHC’s tenants, staff, and to its shareholder the Board is taking the time to get it right.

Confidential Session

• The Board approved contract awards for property management services based on the outcome of a public Request for Proposals issued in December 2016. A Fairness Commissioner oversaw the RFP process to ensure it was fair and transparent for all bidders. Subject to the execution of all contracts, the results will be announced on TCHC’s website.
• The Board approved a two-year extension of the contract with Magical Pest Control which was originally awarded through a public Request for Proposals (RFP) process in 2014. The two-year extension will maintain service continuity for pest control services in the direct-managed portfolio under the same rates as the original contract.

Lastly, the Board heard a presentation from the City of Toronto on the Tenants First Implementation Plan. It’s helped the Board learn more about the City’s vision for implementing the recommendations and learn more about the City’s guiding principles of putting the needs of tenants at the forefront, providing better support for TCHC, and building capacity in the non-profit housing sector.

The Chair identified the following items to be discussed in the public session:

• Chair’s Reports. The Chairs of the Board committees will each provide a verbal report of their committee’s activities.

Building Investment, Finance and Audit Committee

• An approval report on a $35-million loan agreement with the City under its Sustainable Energy Plan. Toronto Community Housing will use the funds to implement energy measures in nine buildings in conjunction with a $28-million grant from the province. The loan will be repaid to the City using energy savings from these measures.
• An approval report on a land transfer for the purposes of building market condominiums in Leslie Nymark as part of the revitalization. Board approval of the land transfer is a provincial requirement.

President’s Monthly Report. Mr. Spearn will present the President’s Monthly Report for February 2017, which describes how the company is doing in meeting its public commitments and organization priorities.

Fire Safety Program. Mr. Tuck will update the Board on Toronto Community Housing’s fire safety program.

2017-2018 Corporate. Mr. Lawson will update the Board on the 2017-2018 corporate work plan.

Vacancy Management and Arrears Management Update. Mr. Leah will update the Board on strategies for vacancy management and arrears management.

Consent Agenda Items

Item 2 – Approval of Consent Agenda Items

The following consent agenda items were approved :

• Item 2A – Approval of Public Meeting Agenda;
• Item 2B – Chair’s Poll re: Conflict of Interest;
• Item 2C – Confirmation of Previous Board of Directors’ Public Meeting Minutes of February 24, 2017;
• Item 2E – City and TCHC Staff – Strategic and Operational Meetings;
• Item 2F – OCHE – 2016 Work Plan Performance Report; and
• Item 2G - Chief Internal Auditor: 2016 Annual Report.

Item Held:

• Item 2D – Business Arising from Public Meeting Minutes and Action Items Update.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Gasparro, seconded by Mr. Lynch and carried, the Board of Directors approved the consent agenda as amended or and those items not held for discussions (Items 2A, 2B, 2C, 2E, 2F and 2G).

Item 2A – Approval of Agenda and Review of Agenda Order

The agenda was approved with the following changes:

• Item 4A – Vacancy Management Update – Deferred as the Board requested this item be brought forward for further discussion at a RSC/BIFAC meeting before coming back to the Board.
• Item 4B - Arrears Management Update – Deferred as the Board requested the item be brought forward for further discussion at a joint RSC/BIFAC meeting before coming back to the Board.
• Item 7-2017-2018 Corporate Work Plan – Deferred to next meeting.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Gasparro, seconded by Mr. Lynch and carried, the Board of Directors 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 February 24, 2017

The Board of Directors had before it the draft Board minutes for February 24, 2017.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Gasparro, seconded by Mr. Lynch and carried, the Board of Directors confirmed the above-captioned minutes without amendments.  

Item 2D – Business Arising from the Public Meeting Minutes and Action Items, Update

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Gasparro, seconded by Mr. Lynch and carried, the Board of Directors received the report for information.

Action Item: Management to review alternate options for electronic access by the public to Board documents dated prior to 2016.

Item 2E – City and TCHC Staff – Strategic and Operational Meetings, TCHC:2017-26

The Board of Directors had before it the above-captioned report (TCHC:2017-26) from the President and Chief Executive Officer (Acting).

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Gasparro, seconded by Mr. Lynch and carried, the Board of Directors received the report for information.

Item 2F – OCHE - 2016 Work Plan Performance Report, TCHC:2017-09

The Board of Directors had before it the above-captioned report (TCHC:2017-09) from the Commissioner of Housing Equity.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Gasparro, seconded by Mr. Lynch and carried, the Board of Directors received the report for information.

Item 2G – Chief Internal Auditor: 2016 Annual Report, TCHC:2017-23

The Board of Directors had before it the above-captioned report (TCHC:2017-23) from the Chief Internal Auditor.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Gasparro, seconded by Mr. Lynch and carried, the Board of Directors received the report for information.

Item 3 – Interim President and Chief Executive Officer’s Remarks

No comments or remarks from the President and Chief Executive Officer (Interim) were received at this time.

Item 3A – Monthly President’s Report, TCHC:2017-27

The Board had before it the above-captioned report (TCHC:2017-27) from the President & Chief Executive Officer (Acting).

Mr. Spearn presented the report and advised the Board that performance in January improved compared with December levels. Of TCHC’s 35 scorecard metrics with targets, 63-per-cent (or 22 metrics) improved or remained constant, while 37-per-cent (or 13 metrics) declined.

Mr. Spearn noted that TCHC does not have January’s financials to report this month. The MPR for February 2017, which will present at the next Board meeting, will include year-to-date financial results covering both January and February 2017.

Mr. Spearn highlighted some of the non-financial results/trends in the Monthly President’s Report (MPR):

• Capital Repairs: the capital repair program has completed $8.1 million in repairs on more than 4,000 projects.
• Community Safety: the Community Safety Unit conducted 78 joint patrols with the Toronto Police Service in January, on par with 79 patrols conducted in December 2016.
  The Board requested that Management provide more details on these joint patrols.
• Client Care Centre: January was an outstanding month for the Client Care Centre, with substantial improvements made to TCHC’s customer service levels. 85-per-cent of metrics for tenant, elevator, alarm and emergency calls improved in January. The Client Care Centre answered 75-per-cent of tenant calls within 90 seconds, compared with only 33 per cent of tenant calls in January 2016. Elevator call service levels also improved with 79-per-cent of answered calls being made within 30 seconds, compared with 67 per cent of calls in January 2016.
  The key driver of these improvements was an increase in staff capacity at the Client Care Centre. Eight new Client Care agents were hired in December and were fully trained by the start of 2017, and six part-time agents transferred to full-time positions. The additional hires have returned the Client Care Centre to its full staffing complement and the team is expected to continue improving service levels throughout the year.
• Service Requests: TCHC service levels for administrative requests reached a record high closing 85-per-cent of requests within two business days, the highest level in over three years.
  Service levels for routine maintenance requests that closed within five business days improved by four percentage points to 70-per-cent; however, this is still below our target level of 80 per cent, which TCHC’s working towards.
• Vacancy: In January TCHC’s vacancy rate performance was not as favourable. The Rent-Geared-to-Income (RGI) vacancy rate increased slightly to 2.77 per-cent, compared with 2.65 per-cent in December. TCHC’s market vacancy rate also increased from 2.92 per cent to 3.19 per cent. While this is not good news, the key driver of this increase is seasonality, as these rates have historically increased every January. TCHC expects a favourable correction in February and March.
• Arrears: TCHC rent and parking-related arrears were $8.74 million, a one-percent increase from December 2016 levels.

Mr. Spearn answered questions raised by the Board and a brief discussion ensued which included the Board requesting Management to provide further detail/clarity on the numbers found in the staff vacancies table on page 16 of Attachment 1.

Mr. Spearn advised the Board that Ms. Barker and Ms. Taylor are working on a report which will go to the April 6th GCHRCC meeting clarifying these numbers.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Gasparro, seconded by Mr. Lynch and carried, the Board of Directors received the report for information.

Action Item: Management to provide more details on CSU- Police joint patrols within TCHC communities (i.e. where patrols are being conducted, what these patrols consist of, how these patrolled communities are selected, etc.)

Item 4 – Resident Services Committee (RSC), Chair’s Report

No comments or remarks from the Chair of RSC were received at this time

Item 4A – Vacancy Management Update, TCHC:2017-25

The Board of Directors had before it the above-captioned report (TCHC:2017-25) from the Vice President, Asset Management.

Initial discussions ensued however, the Board requested further analysis and additional time for a discussion. It was requested that this issue be brought forward for further discussion at a joint RSC/BIFAC meeting before the issue is brought back to the Board.

Ms. Jackson and Mr. Lynch will work together to determine any additional information they would like management to provide related to this issue.

Item 4B – Arrears Management Update, TCHC:2017-28

The Board of Directors had before it the above-captioned report (TCHC:2017-28) from the Vice President, Asset Management.

It was requested that this issue be brought forward for further discussion at a joint RSC/BIFAC meeting before the issue is brought back to the Board.

Item 5 – Governance, Communications, Human Resources and Compensation Committee (GCHRCC), Chair’s Report

No comments or remarks from the Chair of GCHRCC were received at this time as she was not present at the meeting. On behalf of the GCHRCC Chair, the Board Chair notified everyone that the next GCHRCC meeting is scheduled for April 6th and that the following items are among those planned for review:

• Collective bargaining update.
• Conflict of Interest Policy for Board of Directors.
• Tenant/Director Complaint Handling Protocol.
• Employee Policy Review: Discrimination and Harassment Policy.
• Employee Policy Review: Workplace Violence Policy.

Item 6 – Building Investment, Finance and Audit Committee (BIFAC), Chair’s Report

No comments or remarks from the Chair of BIFAC were received at this time.

Item 6A – Leslie Nymark: Transfer of Block to Partnership, TCHC:2017-16

The Board of Directors had before it the above-captioned report (TCHC:2017-16) from the Vice-President, Development (Interim).

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Lynch, seconded by Councillor Cressy and carried, the Board of Directors unanimously approved the recommendations in this report:

1. Authorize the transfer of: Block 3 on the Draft Plan prepared by J.D. Barnes Ltd, dated July 5, 2016 from Toronto Community Housing Corporation (“TCHC”) to the Leslie Nymark Partnership (the “Partnership”), via the bare trustee/nominee, Scala Residences Inc.; and,
2. Authorize the Interim President and Chief Executive Officer (or designate) to execute any and all documents as may be necessary to give effect to the above recommendation.

Item 6b – 2017 Sep Funding Approval, TCHC:2017-22

The Board of Directors had before it the above-captioned report (TCHC:2017-22) from the Vice-President, Facilities Management.

Mr. Gasparro presented the report and a brief discussion followed.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Ms. Wilkinson, seconded by Ms. Jackson and carried, the Board of Directors unanimously approved the following recommendations in this report:

1. authorize the Chief Executive Officer or delegate to enter into an agreement with the City of Toronto for $35M in financing under SEP for energy retrofits at nine buildings;
2. direct the savings realized from the energy retrofit projects paid for with the SEP loan and SHARP grant to the debt service fund until the SEP loan is fully repaid, with the savings to be directed into the fund on a quarterly basis and used to repay the SEP loan; and
3. authorize the appropriate staff to take the necessary actions to give effect to the above recommendations.

Item 7 – 2017-2018 Corporate Work Plan, TCHC:2017-29

This item was deferred to the next Board meeting due to lack of timing.

Item 8 – Fire Safety Program - Update, Verbal Report

Mr. Tuck provided the Board of Directors with a PowerPoint presentation on the above-subject matter, highlights of which are the following:

Development of the Corporate Program

• The Corporate Fire Life Safety program will be owned by the Community Safety Unit, which will complete audits and ensure compliance under the revised program; this is an item on the 2017 Corporate Workplan
• Inspections and tests that do not require certification will be completed by AM; inspections and tests that require certification will be completed or coordinated by FM
• Standard operating procedures will be completed
• Learning and Organizational Development will ultimately track training as completed within an HR system
• TFS has agreed to coordinate its annual inspections with TCH’s annual preventative maintenance inspections; this will be a collaborative effort and TFS inspections will help assess the quality of annual and bi-annual inspections as well as gaps in performance
• Currently, there are 546 fire safety plans in buildings; 377 have been signed off by TFS, 160 are complete and with TFS for sign off, 8 are being updated and 1 is for a building that is being demolished

Related Training

• Phase 1 training completed in May 2016 – Mandatory for all Asset Management (AM) Superintendents, CMP1, Cleaners, Custodians, Community Housing Supervisors and Operating Unit Managers
• Phase 2 training completed in June 2016 by TFS – Mandatory for all Asset Management (AM), Facilities Maintenance Life Safety Staff (FM), and CSU staff
• Phase 1 and 2 fulfilled our legislated requirements for training; staff continue to be trained at hire/promotion
• Phase 3 training is currently under development with our Consultant and staff, and we anticipate delivery in Q3 2017 (this will include hands-on, building-specific training)

Mr. Tuck answered questions raised by the Board and a brief discussion followed.

Action Item: Management to provide a comprehensive presentation on Fire Safety (i.e. overriding principals of fire safety and TCHC’s approach, requirements and how we are meeting them, implementation of the fire safety program, information on number of fires and causes, etc.)

TERMINATION

The public meeting terminated at 11:59 a.m.