Tag Archives: John Tory

Toronto could spend $68M to house refugees in hotel — weeks after scathing AG report on shelter costs

Posted on by

At the rate which Toronto hotels are being taken over by Mayor Tory and his cronies to house a nonstop stream of Third World refugees, dating back to at least 2014, the only hotels which will soon be left for paying guests will be prohibitively expensive five star ones It’s time to just say no! Toronto is full. If Trudeau wants these refugees and illegals, let him house them at HIS place at 24 Sussex.

Toronto could spend $68M to house refugees in hotel — weeks after scathing AG report on shelter costs

The city is making the move to cope with a surge in people claiming refugee status

Michael Smee · CBC News · Posted: Jul 08, 2022 4:00 AM ET | Last Updated: July 8

Coun. John Filion, who represents the neighbourhood where the Novotel is located, says he is ‘all over’ the contract the city’s about to sign that will see the hotel converted temporarily into a refugee shelter. (Mike Smee/CBC)

City of Toronto staff have unveiled a plan to lease a North York hotel for more than $68 million and convert it into a temporary home for refugees — just weeks after an auditor’s report slammed the city’s handling of contracts with local hotels it uses as shelters.

Coun. John Filion, who represents the area and is also vice chair of the city’s audit committee, said he only found out about the plan to lease the 17-storey Hotel Novotel from city staff less than two weeks ago. Even so, he said he’s committed to ensuring the red flags pointed out by Auditor General Beverly Romeo-Beehler last month are addressed.

“I’m all over the contract,” said Filion, who represents Ward 18, Willowdale. “I want to know everything that’s going on here.”

In her report to June’s meeting of the audit committee, Romeo-Beehler said the city spent $13 million over two years “for charges not in accordance with the express terms of the contract — enough to pay for about 52,000 room nights, meals and wraparound support services for an entire year.” She also points to “$2-3 million” the city paid for rooms that were never used.

By sheltering about 700 refugees starting in September, staff are hoping the Novotel, at Yonge Street and Park Home Avenue, will help the city cope with a surge in claimants this year. In September of last year, the city housed 507 refugees. Now that number is closer to 1,700, according to a report on the plan that went to the city’s government and licensing committee earlier this week. And that number, city spokesperson Brad Ross said, is climbing at a rate of about 55 people a week.

Brad Ross, spokesperson for the city, says staff have implemented changes to the way contracts are handled in the wake of the auditor general’s report. (Zoom)

World events, like the war in Ukraine, and the lifting of most pandemic-related travel restrictions this year are fuelling the surge, staff say in the report. But it’s not yet clear exactly what countries the refugees will be coming from.

Ross said the Novotel deal, which goes to council for final approval later this month, will be supervised in a way that will ensure the city doesn’t end up on the hook for costs that aren’t spelled out in the contract..

He said in the past, multiple city departments dealt with different aspects of each contract flagged by the auditor. From now on, though, the city’s shelter support and hosing department will concentrate solely on caring for the needs of the individual refugee families. It will leave the corporate real estate department to negotiate and monitor the contract and billing, Ross said.

The 17-storey Hotel Novotel at Yonge Street south of Finch Avenue, will house about 700 refugees starting in September, according to a contract proposal the city is considering. All 260 rooms will be leased. (Doug Hudsby/CBC)

“Separating those out will be an important step in ensuring that there aren’t things like overbilling, for example, and that the contract and the lease is being as efficiently managed as possible,” Ross told CBC Toronto.

 “And that when there are anomalies that the real estate team is focused on that piece, while our shelter and support team is focused on the people piece.”

Past mistakes won’t be repeated, city says

At Monday’s meeting of the government and licensing committee, Filion also introduced other measures that, he says, will ensure that past mistakes are not repeated.

He’s calling on staff to come back with a figure lower than the current lease estimate — $68.5 million over five years. He says savings can be found with a  less expensive catering.and changing the current draft contract so that the city won’t be on the hook for rooms that are not used.

Filion, who is not running for re-election in the fall, has also called on staff to meet regularly with the local councillor to discuss any issues with the housing plan.

Although both Ross and Filion said they expect the federal government to step up and foot at least some of the bill for the Novotel deal, it’s not yet clear what the extent of that commitment will be.

“The city has requested, on numerous occasions, immediate and urgent action from the federal and provincial governments to plan for the large-scale increase in refugee claimant arrivals in order to avoid a potential crisis,” the report to Monday’s meeting states. 

Paul Fromm Exposes the Hijab Hoax False News & The Knee Jerk Politicians Who Denounced The Islamophobia That Never Was Paul Fromm exposes the hijab hoax and knee jerk White guilt politicians. Hijab Hoax Fake News An 11 year old girl in Toronto Canada lied about someone cutting off her jibab with a pair of siccors and even Prime Minister… YOUTUBE.COM L An 11 year old girl in Toronto Canada lied about someone cutting off her jibab with a pair of siccors and even Prime Minister Trudeau commented on it. Paul Fromm the Director of the Canada First Immigration Reform Committee at: http://canadafirst.nfshost.com/ Paul Fromm is the Director, Canadian Association for Free Expression (CAFE) since 1983, at: http://cafe.nfshost.com/. His playlist of videos is: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list… You can join Paul’s email list by contacting him at paul@paulfromm.com .

Posted on by
Paul Fromm Exposes the Hijab Hoax False News & The Knee Jerk Politicians Who Denounced The Islamophobia That Never Was
https://youtu.be/E2M2rqiBKX8

Paul Fromm exposes the hijab hoax and knee jerk White guilt politicians.

An 11 year old girl in Toronto Canada lied about someone cutting off her jibab with a pair of siccors and even Prime Minister…
YOUTUBE.COM

An 11 year old girl in Toronto Canada lied about someone cutting off her jibab with a pair of siccors and even Prime Minister Trudeau commented on it. Paul Fromm the Director of the Canada First Immigration Reform Committee at: http://canadafirst.nfshost.com/ Paul Fromm is the Director, Canadian Association for Free Expression (CAFE) since 1983, at: http://cafe.nfshost.com/. His playlist of videos is: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list… You can join Paul’s email list by contacting him at paul@paulfromm.com .

Politicians in Dress Up Beyond Shameless in Sikh Parade

Posted on by

 

Politicians in Dress Up Beyond Shameless in Sikh Parade

Who is that guy in the saffron do rag standing on the podium? Why it’s Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

 
Inline image 3
 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was among the speakers at the 2017 Khalsa Day Parade. (Martin Trainor/CBC)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Inline image 2And who is that other guy, also with a saffron do rag and a huge saffron clown tie posing for selfies with some men in turbans? It’s none other than John Tory Mayor of Toronto.
 
The CBC (April 30, 2017) reported: “Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Premier Kathleen Wynne and Mayor John Tory joined thousands in Toronto today in celebrating the 39th annual Khalsa Day Parade.

Held in commemoration of the Sikh new year, the Khalsa order of Sikhism and the end of Sikh heritage month, this year’s event also celebrated the 350th anniversary of the birth of Sikh Guru Gobind Singh.”

Not to be unkind, but is there a European Heritage Month or a Christian Heritage Month? Didn’t think so.

The CBC report continued: “In addition to appearing at the event, the prime minister also spoke to the revellers and celebrated diversity in Canada

“This is just a wonderful time to celebrate the fact that Canada is a country that is strong not in spite of our differences but because of our differences,” Prime Minister Trudeau said.

The mayor also built on the theme of diversity when he spoke to the crowd.

“The city embraces and celebrates what is good in every faith and every culture,” Tory said. “Diversity has helped build a society that is as harmonious as it is diverse.”

For all the blather about the joys of diversity would these politicians join or celebrate a European Heritage or White Pride event? Of course not. Only privileged minorities merit this attention.

And as for the dress up? Why must some politicians parade around as degraded clowns? Why not attend the event, if they must, dressed respectfully and respectably in a business suit and shirt and tie?