Building Investment, Finance and Audit Committee (BIFAC) Meeting - May 16, 2016

Public Agenda

1. Approval of Public Meeting Agenda and Review of Agenda Order 

Action: Approval

Pre-read: Public Meeting Agenda

Presenter: Chair

2. Chair’s Poll re: Conflict of Interest

Action: Declaration

Pre-read

• Public Meeting Agenda
• Conflict of Interest Policy

Presenter: Chair

3. Confirmation of the Public Meeting Minutes: April 15, 2016

Action: Approval

Pre-read: Minutes

Presenter: Chair

4. Business Arising from the Minutes and Committee Action Items Update

Action: Information

Pre-read: Action Item List

Presenter: Chair

Report from the BIFAC Chair

5. Chair’s Report and Remarks

Action: Information

Pre-read: Verbal Report (5 minutes)

Presenter: Chair

Commissioner of Housing Equity

6. OCHE - Quarterly Performance Report (Q1 2016)

Action: Information

Pre-read: BIFAC:2016-64 (10 minutes)

Presenter: Commissioner of Housing Equity

Reports from Management

Capital Projects, Real Property and Building Revitalization:

7. Stand-Alone Properties: Sales and Relocation Update

Action: Information

Pre-read: BIFAC:2016-79 (5 minutes)

Presenter: Senior Manager, Commercial Business Unit

Mayor`s Task Force

8. Update: City of Toronto Review of Mayor`s Task Force Report

Action: Information

Pre-read: BIFAC:2016-75 (5 minutes)

Presenter: Director - Strategic Planning & Stakeholder Relations

TERMINATION

Public Meeting Minutes

The Building Investment, Finance and Audit Committee (“BIFAC” or “Committee”) of Toronto Community Housing Corporation (“TCHC”) held a public meeting on May 16th, 2016 in the Main Floor Conference Room, 931 Yonge Street, Toronto, commencing at 11:00 a.m.

Committee Directors Present:

Colin Lynch, Chair

Councillor Ana Bailão, Vice Chair

Vincent Gasparro

Councillor Ana Bailão, Vice Chair

Kevin Marshman

Norman (Bud) Purves (Ex-Officio)

Director Absent:

N/A

Other Director in Attendance:

Catherine Wilkinson

Also Present:

Leslie Gash, Acting Vice President, Development

Ismail Ibrahim, Interim General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Sylvia Kobal, Senior Director, Procurement

Graham Leah, Vice President, Asset Management

Rose-Ann Lee, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (Interim)

Ted Millward, Legal Counsel, Corporate

Sheila Penny, Vice President, Facilities Management

Kate Salter, Legal Counsel

Greg Spearn, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer/ Chief Development Officer

Trevor Shaw, Senior Advisor to the Commissioner of Housing Equity

Cynthia Summers, Commissioner of Housing Equity 

Wayne Tuck, Chief Operating Officer

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

Item 1 - Approval of Public Meeting Agenda

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Marshman, seconded by Councillor Bailão and carried, the BIFAC unanimously approved the agenda as presented.

Item 2 - Declaration of Conflict of Interest

The Chair requested members of the BIFAC to indicate any agenda item in which they had a conflict of interest, together with the nature of the conflict. None were declared.

Item 3 - Confirmation of the Public Meeting Minutes

The BIFAC had before it the draft minutes from the April 15, 2016 public meeting.

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Purves, seconded by Mr. Gasparro and carried, the BIFAC unanimously confirmed the April 15, 2016 public meeting minutes. 

Item 4 - Business Arising from the Minutes and Committee Action Items Update

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Purves, seconded by Mr. Gasparro and carried, the BIFAC unanimously received the report for information, without amendment. 

Item 5 - Chair’s Report and Remarks, Verbal

Mr. Lynch briefly commented that there were lengthy discussions in the in camera and closed sessions, and that there are a number of items to be further discussed at the next BIFAC meeting.

Item 6 - OCHE - Quarterly Performance Report (Q1 2016), BIFAC:2016-64

The BIFAC had before it the above-captioned report (BIFAC:2016-64) from the Commissioner of Housing Equity. 

Ms. Summers’ presentation focused on the development of the OCHE website. Ms. Summers indicated that the OCHE work plan provided last summer stated she was to establish a website and a case management program. Ms. Summers went on to state that the development of a website had not occurred due to the work to update the TCHC website.

Ms. Summers advised that the current OCHE website has limited functionality, is not AODA compliant, and that residents have indicated difficulty finding OCHE online. She expressed concern that the OCHE link on the TCHC website is difficult for the public to find. 

Ms. Summers asked for BIFAC to request that Management prioritize the creation of the OCHE website and fix a timeline for doing so. 

Management indicated that all items on the IT project list, regardless of approval status, are being subject to an intake process, and that this project may take 6 months to do internally as it involves creating a new website. 

The Committee requested that the OCHE link be made more accessible on the TCHC website as an interim action until the website can be developed. Management was asked to implement changes to the link before the next BIFAC meeting and to present a plan and timeline to BIFAC for implementing the OCHE website. 

The Committee commented on the first two challenges identified on page 5 of the OCHE Q1 2016 Performance Report, namely, the identification and referral of vulnerable tenants to OCHE, and feedback from TCHC on OCHE’s recommendations. The Committee asked for a report jointly by Mr. Spearn and Ms. Summers at the next meeting that provides a plan and timeline to address these challenges.

Motion Carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Purves, seconded by Mr. Gasparro and carried, the BIFAC unanimously received the report for information.

Second Motion Carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Gasparro, and seconded by Mr. Marshman and carried, the BIFAC unanimously approved the following recommendation:

1. Management to implement changes to the OCHE link before the next BIFAC meeting and present a plan and timeline to BIFAC for implementing the OCHE website.

Third Motion Carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Purves, and seconded by Mr. Gasparro and carried, the BIFAC unanimously approved the following recommendations :

The President & CEO (Interim) and the Commissioner of Housing Equity are to provide a joint report to the BIFAC at its next meeting:

1. with a plan and timeline for the implementation of an identified process/procedures to address the first two challenges identified on page 5 of the OCHE- Q1 2016 Quarterly Performance Report; and
2. a summary of all recommendations made by OCHE, and the status of TCHC’s implementation of these recommendations.

Item 7 - Stand-Alone Properties: Sales and Relocation Update, BIFAC:2016-79

The BIFAC had before it the above-captioned report (BIFAC:2016-79). The Interim President and Chief Executive Officer presented the report. 

The Committee enquired about the regulatory restrictions that apply to some of the properties. Ms. Faria indicated that the restrictions relate to Section 111 agreements and requirements for the disposal of rental property. Ms. Faria advised that she is working with City planning staff on these issues and is assessing options.   

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Councillor Bailão, seconded by Mr. Gasparro and carried, the BIFAC unanimously received the report for information.

Item 8 - Update: City of Toronto Review of Mayor`s Task Force Report, BIFAC:2016-75

The BIFAC had before it the above-captioned report (BIFAC:2016-75) from the Interim President and Chief Executive Officer. 

Motion carried

ON MOTION DULY MADE by Mr. Gasparro, seconded by Mr. Purves and carried, the BIFAC unanimously received the report for information.

TERMINATION

The BIFAC resolved to terminate the public meeting at 11:35 a.m.