Board of Directors Meeting - November 20, 2020

Agenda

11:45 a.m. – 1:40 p.m.

11:35 - Chair’s Remarks 

Action: Information 

Pre-read: Verbal Report 

Presenter: Chair 

11:40 - 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: Conflict of Interest Policy 

Presenter: Chair 

c. Confirmation of Board of Directors’ Public Meeting Minutes of September 25, 2020 

Action: Approval 

Pre-read: Minutes 

Presenter: Chair 

11:45 - Business Arising from the Public Meeting Minutes and Action Items Update as of September 25, 2020 

Action: Information 

Pre-read: Action Item List 

Presenter: Chair 

11:50 - Strategic Priorities: 2020-2021 

Deferred from September 25, 2020 Board Meeting 

Action: Approval 

Pre-read: TCHC:2020-75R 

Presenter: Chief Executive Officer 

12:05 - Succession Planning Update 

Deferred from September 25, 2020 Board Meeting 

Action: Information 

Pre-read: TCHC:2020-78 

Presenter: Vice President, Human Resources 

12:20 - TCHC’s Confronting Anti-Black Racism Strategy Development 

Action: Information 

Pre-read: TCHC:2020-57 

Presenter: Chief Executive Officer 

12:40 - 2021 Board and Committee Schedule of Meetings 

Action: Information 

Pre-read: TCHC:2020-76 

Presenter: General Counsel & Corporate Secretary 

12:50 - COVID-19 Preliminary Analysis of Financial Impacts on TCHC 

Action: Information 

Pre-read: TCHC:2020-80 

Presenter: Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer 

1:10 - Strategic Plan Discussion 

Action: Information 

Pre-read: Verbal Update

Presenter: Chair

TERMINATION 

Minutes

The Board of Directors (“Board”) of the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (“TCHC”) held a virtual public meeting on November 20, 2020 at 11:45 a.m. in the Conference Room in 7A at 931 Yonge Street, Toronto via WebEx. 

Directors in Attendance: 

Tim Murphy (Chair) 

Councillor Ana Bailão  

Amanda Coombs  

John Campbell 

Ubah Farah 

Councillor Paula Fletcher 

Adele Imrie  

Linda Jackson 

Nick Macrae 

Councillor Nunziata (11:45 a.m. – 12:25 p.m.) 

Brian Smith  

Directors Absent: 

Debbie Douglas 

Management present: 

Kevin Marshman, President & Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) 

Sheila Penny, Chief Operating Officer (“COO”) 

Darragh Meagher, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary 

Rose-Ann Lee, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer (“CFO”) 

Nadia Gouveia, Director, Programs and Partnerships 

Evelyn Amponsah, Manager, Strategy Development, Confronting Anti-Black Racism 

Ceilidh Wilson, Assistant Corporate Secretary 

A quorum being present, Mr. Murphy, serving as Chair called the meeting to order and Ms. Wilson served as recording secretary.

Item 1 - Chair's Remarks

The Chair welcomed everyone to the Board meeting, noted the Acknowledgement of the Land and notified everyone that due to the need for social distancing to limit the spread of COVID-19, TCHC’s holding this Board meeting virtually like done for Board meetings held in April and June. 

In Camera Session - Decisions to Report Out 

Arising from TCHC’s In Camera session this morning, the Board resolved to: 

1. Approve TCHC’s 2019 pay for performance payment for all non-union employees; and 
2. Authorize the President & CEO to cancel the 2020 Pay for Performance program effective immediately, such that there will be no Pay for Performance increases or re-earnable performance-based lump-sum payments effective January 1, 2021 (based on 2020 performance). 

COVID-19 Update 

TCHC’s COVID-19 response is now in its eighth month, and the Chair thanked employees for the exemplary work they are doing to deliver essential services and support TCHC tenants.  

Many of TCHC’s communities are among the hardest hit by the virus, and employees have stepped up to support tenants who are self-isolating and help agencies deliver food and other essentials to seniors and vulnerable tenants. 

In particular, the Chair recognized the contributions of staff who work in TCHC buildings. Given the resurgence of COVID-19 cases, TCHC’s maintaining the extended 10-hour shift schedules that are enabling TCHC to deliver enhanced cleaning protocols that are preventing the spread of the virus and keeping people safe.  

Lastly, the Chair thanked everyone at the company for setting a good example by following public health advice at work and at home.

Deputations

The Chair polled for any deputations to be heard at the meeting. The following verbal deputations were presented: 

• Item 6 – TCHC’s Confronting Anti-Black Racism Strategy Development (Susan Gapka and Kathleen Doobay) 

The following written deputations were received in relation to the following items: 

• Item 4 – Strategic Priorities: 2020-2021 (Cheryl Duggan) 
• Item 5 – Succession Planning Update (Cheryl Duggan) 
• Item 6 – TCHC’s Confronting Anti-Black Racism Strategy Development (Cheryl Duggan and Kathleen Doobay)

Item 2A - Approval of Public Meeting Agenda

Motion carried 

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Ms. Imrie, seconded by Ms. Farah and carried, the Board approved the Public meeting agenda for the Board’s November 20, 2020. 

Item 2B - Chair's Poll re: Conflict of Interest

The Chair requested members of the Board to indicate any agenda item in which they had 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 September 25, 2020

Motion carried 

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Ms. Imrie, seconded by Ms. Farah and carried, the Board confirmed the above-captioned minutes without amendments. 

Item 3 - Business Arising from the Public Meeting Minutes and Action Items Update of September 25, 2020

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Fletcher, seconded by Ms. Imrie and carried, the Board received the matters reported as Business Arising from the Public Meeting Minutes and Action Items Update as of September 25, 2020 for its information. 

Item 4 - Strategic Priorities: 2020-2021, TCHC:2020-75R

Written deputation from Cheryl Duggan was received with respect to this item and was circulated to the Board prior to the meeting. 

The above-captioned report (TCHC:2020-75R) was circulated to Board members prior to the meeting.  

Mr. Marshman was available to answer questions of the Board. Highlights of the discussion include: 

• This version of the strategic priorities incorporates all the changes requested by the Board at its September 25, 2020 meeting. 
• The Board directed that under goal 1, confronting anti-Black racism be moved up to the first bullet, and under goal 2, confronting anti-Black racism and the development of the diversity and inclusion strategy be moved up to the first two bullets.  

Motion carried 

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Fletcher, seconded by Ms. Jackson and carried, the Board received the information contained in Report TCHC:2020-75R for its information and approved the amended 2020-2021 strategic priorities in Attachment 1, as amended, which reflects the changes requested by the Board at its September 25, 2020 meeting. 

Item 5 - Succession Planning Update, TCHC:2020-78

Written deputation from Cheryl Duggan was received with respect to this item and was circulated to the Board prior to the meeting. 

The above-captioned report (TCHC:2020-78) was circulated to Board members prior to the meeting.  

Mr. Marshman was available to answer questions of the Board. Highlights of the discussion include: 

• TCHC is putting in place a succession planning framework to make sure there is a workforce that is ready and capable to continue the organization’s work on a long-term basis. 
• There is a proactive focus on critical roles within the organization and an active effort to retain individuals with TCHC-specific knowledge. 
• There is a focus on employing individuals across all levels of the organization who represent the communities we serve. 
• The succession planning process will be fair, equitable and transparent. 
• A process will be developed to identify critical roles and candidates to fill them should they become vacant, by 2022. 
• There are not targets set for the number of internal vs. external candidates the organization seeks to employ for critical roles. Good corporate development requires a mix of internal promotions and external hires. 
• Tenants often do not feel there is a pathway to employment for them at TCHC. 
• Action item: Management to bring a report to the Tenant Services Committee summarizing employment opportunities available to TCHC tenants, and clarifying if there is a job portal specific for tenants applying to positions at TCHC.  

Motion carried 

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Smith, seconded by Ms. Coombs and carried, the Board received the information contained in Report TCHC:2020-78 for its information.  

Item 6 - TCHC's Confronting Anti-Black Racism Strategy Development, TCHC:2020-57

Verbal deputations from Susan Gapka and Kathleen Doobay were received with respect to this item. Written deputations from Cheryl Duggan and Kathleen Doobay were received with respect to this item and were circulated to the Board prior to the meeting. 

The above-captioned report (TCHC:2020-57) was circulated to Board members prior to the meeting.  

Mr. Marshman, Ms. Gouveia and Ms. Amponsah provided the Board with a presentation regarding this matter, highlights of which include: 

• TCHC’s Confronting Anti-Black Racism (“CABR”) timeline; 
• CABR at TCHC: What we have heard; 
• CABR strategy development work plan; and 
• Current actions underway. 

Mr. Marshman along with Ms. Gouveia and Ms. Amponsah were available to answer questions of the Board. Highlights of the discussion include: 

• Three tenant town halls took place in the central and east regions, and the west region meeting is upcoming. Information of the town halls was disseminated via Community Services Coordinators (“CSC”), community animators, Black tenant leaders, service providers, social media channels and posters in buildings. 
• 53% of TCHC employees identify as visible minorities 
• Action item: Management to report back to the Board with the number of staff who identify as Black and their placement in the organization (e.g. unionized, management, director and above). 
• The anti-Black racism (“ABR”) experience is unique from other minorities’ experiences given its magnitude on a global scale and its 400 year history. 
• It is good to see work on this, but this is just the beginning. 
• It is imperative that Board members also receiving ABR training. The Board should be an important component of the CABR strategy. 
• Currently Ms. Gouveia and Ms. Amponsah report to the CEO regarding CABR work, but have other reporting relationships for their other duties. 
• Action item: As part of the finalized CABR strategy:  
  • clearly define the reporting relationship of the CABR unit within the organization and who is accountable for this work; 
  • review the Community Safety Unit (“CSU”) as a discrete division and its relationship and interactions with the Black community, identifying any issues that need to be addressed;  
  • identify what the ABR training looks like that CSU has received or will be receiving;  
  • the role of the Board in the CABR strategy; 
  • how success of the CABR strategy will be measured. 
• It is critical that the accountability mechanism for the CABR strategy reflects something that staff and tenants will engage with and is impactful.  
• By focusing on Black communities, it is not minimizing other minorities’ experiences; by removing barriers for Black communities and improving their outcomes, it will remove barriers for others as well.  
• Recommendations have been made to provide ABR training for tenants and to equip them with the tools and language to advocate. 
• In developing the CABR strategy, TCHC’s CABR unit is working in partnership with the City’s CABR unit as well as other City divisions. 

Motion carried 

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Ms. Farah, seconded by Ms. Jackson and carried, the Board received the information contained in Report TCHC:2020-57 for its information. 

Item 7 - 2021 Board and Committee Schedule of Meetings, TCHC:2020-76

The above-captioned report (TCHC:2020-76) was circulated to Board members prior to the meeting.  

Mr. Meagher was available to answer questions of the Board.  

Motion carried 

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Fletcher, seconded by Ms. Imrie and carried, the Board unanimously approved the proposed frequency of Board and Committee meetings for the 2021 year as outlined in Report TCHC:2020-76. 

Item 8 - COVID-19 Preliminary Analysis of Financial Impacts on TCHC, TCHC:2020-80

The above-captioned report (TCHC:2020-80) was circulated to Board members prior to the meeting.  

Ms. Lee was available to answer questions of the Board. Highlights of the discussion include: 

• Rental income is budgeted to be less in 2021 as a result of COVID-19. 
• The 115 units delayed at Leslie Nymark are a result of planning-related challenges beginning in 2018 and we have not been able to catch up; the delay is a carryover of the previous delay starting two years ago. 
• We cannot replace all the RGI units on-site at Leslie Nymark so they are being built at Allenbury Gardens. There are no net new affordable units being built at Leslie Nymark. 

Motion carried 

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Fletcher, seconded by Ms. Farah and carried, the Board received the information contained in Attachment 1 to Report TCHC:2020-80 for its information and discussion.  

Item 9 - Strategic Plan Discussion (Verbal)

This item was not discussed. 

TERMINATION 

The public meeting terminated at 1:16 p.m.