Seeking bus rapid transit funding and revising Ontario Ombudsman report recommendations: London City Council

Council begrudgingly delays roadwork to ease west-end commuting, still seeking additional funding for BRT

Traffic, transit, and pedestrians navigating the intersection of Oxford Street and Wharncliffe Road on Jan. 23, 2024. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)

London, Ont. wants to renegotiate a deal with senior levels of government to fund construction of its bus rapid transit (BRT) system.

On Tuesday, city council discussed a staff recommendation to delay intersection improvements at Oxford Street and Wharncliffe Road and redirect the provincial and federal funding towards construction of the southern route of BRT along Wellington Street.

Of the $12 million to install transit queue-jump lanes and other improvements at the intersection, about $6.5 million of senior government funding would instead offset part of the $174 million BRT budget shortfall blamed on inflation.

“For five years we’ve been waiting to get relief at this intersection,” Coun. Steve Lehman pleaded with colleagues.

Lehman represents neighbourhoods farther west of the intersection.

Several councillors lamented having to choose between BRT and the infamous west-end traffic bottleneck.

However, Coun. Skylar Franke considered the choice to be an opportunity.

“This is another step in the right direction to get people out of their car and on buses and alternatives,” asserted Franke.

In 2019, transit infrastructure funding was approved by the senior levels of government as part of a cost-sharing agreement with city hall.

At the time, council was warned that cost overruns would be the responsibility of city hall.

Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis believes the post-pandemic inflationary impacts on road construction were unforeseeable.

He wants the provincial and federal governments to provide additional funding for municipalities experiencing skyrocketing project costs.

“It feels like the senior levels of government are in some way washing their hands of any responsibility to help absorb these increased costs,” Lewis told council colleagues.

Council was told that lobbying efforts for additional infrastructure are already underway through the Ontario Big City Mayors, Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).

In the meantime, council voted 9-6 in favour if redirecting the funds to BRT.

A more fulsome strategy to address the traffic congestion at Oxford Street and Wharncliffe Road will be included during the development of the city’s upcoming Mobility Master Plan.

Originally slated to begin in 2025, there is now no timeline for the intersection improvements.

Lehman told CTV News after the meeting that it’s another disappointment for west-end commuters.

“We had the widening of Wonderland cancelled, now we’ve had this cancelled. So I think my constituents will be not too pleased to be honest with you.”

 

Ontario Ombudsman’s report called ‘vague,’ prompting council to revise its recommendations

Unity Project on Dundas Street, (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)

Council accepted the findings of an investigation by Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dube, but took exception with his report and recommendations.

The report determined that three members of the Community and Protective Services (CAPS) Committee (Coun. Corrine Rahman, Coun. Jerry Pribil, and Coun. Susan Stevenson) violated open meeting rules by gathering last March 21 for a tour and discussion at the Unity Project.

Dube ruled that the trio constituted a quorum of the CAPS Committee and substantively advanced council decision making.

Hours later, they voted in favour of $760,000 to support the homelessness agency with operational and capital needs.

None of the three first-term councillors disputed the findings at Tuesday’s council meeting.

However, the three other members of the CAPS committee who did not attend the Unity Project tour expressed their frustrations with the report and its recommendations.

Coun. David Ferreira and Coun. Elizabeth Peloza each independently contacted the Ombudsman to ask why the report didn’t mention the three councillors who were investigated by name.

Peloza suggested the omission gives the impression that she, Ferreira, and the mayor were somehow involved, “The report said ‘quorum of committee’ but didn’t name any names in it, there by implying it could have been all members of the committee.”

Ferreira added, “It’s not until line eleven in the report that it’s mentioned they spoke to three members of the committee, rather than the committee as a whole.”

Both he and Peloza said they were told that the Ombudsman will not clarify his report.

Meanwhile, Mayor Josh Morgan took aim at the recommendations contained in the report.

Dube had suggested the following three courses of action:

• All members of council for the City of London should be vigilant in adhering to their individual and collective obligation to ensure compliance with their responsibilities under the Municipal Act, 2001
• All members of council and committees of the City of London should ensure that no council or committee business or decision-making is materially advanced outside of formal meetings
• Members of council for the City of London who organize tours that may be subject to the open meeting rules should consult with city staff.

Morgan felt it was inappropriate to put the onus on city staff to determine if a tour (or gathering) would violate rules under the purview of the Ontario Ombudsman.

“I just felt like the actions that were recommended by the Ombudsman were vague, [and] they were difficult to implement,” said Morgan. “They led to the motion I brought forward, which is basically reminding colleagues to do the right thing and follow the rules that they’re obligated to follow.”

Council voted to accept the Ombudsman’s report, but with the mayor’s revised recommendations:

• Council be reminded that they shall diligently comply with their obligations under the Municipal Act, 2001 including review of applicable open meeting rules; and
• The City Clerk be directed to provide a reminder to all elected officials related to quorum and relevant open meeting provisions within the Municipal Act, 2001