E-Blast: Council Highlight – Winter Maintenance, School Nutrition, Councillor Compensation & More
- councillorcarroll
- Apr 3
- 6 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Last week at Council, we tackled some big issues that matter to Torontonians. We took a hard look at winter maintenance to make sure our city is better prepared for snow and ice, and we made progress toward a universal student nutrition program—because no child should go hungry at school. We also dug into the economic and community benefits of hosting FIFA 2026, making sure this global event leaves a lasting impact for everyone. Plus, we held contractors accountable and, yes, we reviewed councillor salaries. I know a lot of people have questions about that one, and I’m glad to have the chance to explain why Council made the decision we did. Keep reading for the details!
When Mayor Chow brought forward a motion at Executive Committee calling for a forensic review of the City’s snow clearing and removal operations following February’s multi-day storm, it was clear that the service provided did not meet anyone's expectations. Over 53 cm of snow fell in back-to-back storms, and as I detailed in my February E-Blast, the challenges of clearing such an extreme accumulation pushed our winter maintenance system to its limits. The impact of poor snow removal was felt across the city, from impassable sidewalks to missed collections and blocked streets.
This review is a crucial step in addressing concerns and improving Toronto’s winter maintenance operations moving forward. City Council has directed the City Manager to conduct a full assessment of winter maintenance operations, including the following actions:
Improve oversight by optimizing City resources, strengthening contract management, and ensuring private contractors meet their obligations.
Enhance winter operations by exploring contract renegotiations, upgrading equipment, improving fleet maintenance, and developing contingency plans for major storms.
Conduct a forensic audit of the February 2025 storm response, assess the effectiveness of past recommendations, and review best practices from other cities to improve Toronto’s approach.
This review is about more than fixing what went wrong this winter—it’s about ensuring that Toronto is better prepared for the next major storm. We know residents expect better, and this is the first step toward making real improvements.
The City of Toronto has long supported the goal of establishing a morning meal program in every school, but achieving this has required substantial investment from both the provincial and federal governments—funding that is now finally becoming available. Last fall, the federal government announced plans to launch a national school food program, committing $1 billion over five years to support meal delivery in schools. Ontario has agreed to participate, marking a significant step toward improving student nutrition.
Currently, student nutrition programs in Toronto provide healthy breakfasts, snacks, and lunches to more than 243,000 students each school day. These programs help students focus, improve test scores, and boost graduation rates. They also play a crucial role in supporting students' mental and physical health by ensuring access to nutritious food in a way that avoids stigma.
In December 2024, the City funded the first expansion of student nutrition programs in seven years, adding 23 new school communities and reaching 8,000 more students. The goal is to further expand in the 2025-2026 school year by adding another 25 communities and extending existing programs to reach an additional 13,500 students.
With this report, City Council is formally requesting funding from the newly established federal program, along with increased support from the provincial government. Securing these investments is essential to continue expanding the Student Nutrition Program and ensuring every student receives the nutritious meals they need to succeed.
To learn more about the program and it’s impacts, I’m attaching an introductory presentation that Toronto Public Health will be using in intergovernmental meetings.
The decision to bring the FIFA World Cup 2026 to Toronto was made in the last term of Council. Now, our focus is on making the most of this opportunity—delivering real benefits for the city while keeping costs in check.
Major events like this bring big economic opportunities. An economic impact assessment by Deloitte Canada estimates that hosting the tournament could generate $940 million in economic activity across the GTA and create or sustain more than 6,600 jobs through 2026.
As this report makes clear, we’re also using this moment to create lasting social and economic impact. Through the City’s procurement process, we’re prioritizing local suppliers, supporting underrepresented groups, and advancing sustainable practices to ensure benefits extend well beyond the tournament itself.
To help manage costs, Council has approved the strategic use of hospitality packages as part of our sponsorship plan. This standard approach allows commercial partners to contribute funding in exchange for premium access—offsetting costs without adding to the burden on taxpayers.
Bringing the World Cup here was a decision made before this term, but we’re working to make sure Toronto gets it right. This is a global event, and we’re making sure it delivers for our city.
This report is a great example of what it takes for a city government to hold contractors accountable. The investigation began when City staff were alerted to inconsistencies found in various invoices submitted by Duron Ontario Ltd., a construction company that has worked on many City projects. A subsequent internal audit uncovered multiple instances of overbilling, and while the investigation into the full scope of the issue is still ongoing, we believe there is enough evidence at this stage to warrant action.
When confronted, the company blamed a single employee and let them go. However, our procurement team continued to monitor the situation and found further discrepancies. At a minimum, there is no dispute that the City was overbilled by more than $161,000 and that Duron lacked proper internal contract management controls.
Now the company is barred from bidding on City contracts or acting as a subcontractor for the next five years. City staff will continue to investigate the full scope of this issue to ensure the City is fully compensated. This action sends a strong message that the city is committed to holding contractors accountable and protecting taxpayer dollars.
The decision to adjust City Councillor salaries is not one I take lightly. Since Doug Ford’s 2018 decision to cut City Council in half, councillors have taken on significantly larger workloads. Each of us now represents more than twice as many residents, covering larger areas and managing more complex challenges. Despite this, our compensation has remained unadjusted for these larger responsibilities for years—first due to the restructuring and then because of the financial constraints brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recognizing these challenges in 2018, Mayor Tory & City Council commissioned an independent, third-party review to assess whether councillors’ salaries remained appropriate given our expanded responsibilities. That report made clear that an adjustment was warranted. I firmly believe that councillors should not be in the business of setting our own salaries, which is why I supported the independent recommendations rather than allowing this to become a political debate. By law, the approval of any City of Toronto expenditure, including salary adjustments, requires a majority vote in the council chamber, so we are the only body authorized to approve this adjustment. The third party review that was undertaken was evidence-based, comparing Toronto councillors’ salaries to those in similar municipalities and recommended that Council salaries be pegged at the 75th percentile (based on a Council policy from 20 years ago to never be highest paid). Even after this adjustment, we will not be the highest-paid councillors in Canada—many counterparts in the GTA, including Mississauga and Markham, will continue to earn more.
Most importantly, this adjustment does not create any new costs for taxpayers. It will be covered through a reallocation within the existing budget, ensuring responsible financial stewardship.
It’s never easy to discuss compensation for politicians. For many, the right salary is always, “not one dollar more than I make”, whatever that amount may be. Ultimately, this decision is about how we can attract quality candidates to these important roles. The work of a councillor today is far more demanding than it was before, and the compensation should reflect that reality if we want to ensure that qualified and experienced people from all backgrounds will consider putting their name on the ballot.
Farewell Meghana!
I know many of you have had the pleasure of working with Meghana over the years. After years of dedicated service to the residents of Dan Valley North, Meghana is moving on to her next adventure, and we are all going to miss her deeply!
We have all come to appreciate her incredible attention to detail, her unwavering commitment to public service, and the warmth she brings to every interaction. Whether she was tackling complex policy issues or ensuring a resident felt heard, Meghana did it all with heart and precision.
But while we’ll miss her in our office, she’s not going far—Meghana has accepted a role in the Parks, Forestry, and Recreation division! We can’t wait to see her hard work make our parks even better.
We wish her nothing but success in her next steps!