Andre Bermon –
An administrative inquiry into the ill-fated Cabbagetown women’s drop-in centre at 233 Carlton Street is facing bureaucratic hurdles.
Ward 13 (Toronto Centre) Councillor Chris Moise submitted questions ahead of City Council’s March session to seek clarity on the extensive delays and multiplying costs associated with the lease and redevelopment. He attempted to compel the city’s corporate real estate department to divulge the list of properties allegedly considered for the drop-in.
But according to executive director Patrick Matozzo, that is not in the city’s interest.
“The city does not publicly release lists of sites under consideration, as doing so could compromise its negotiating position for future property acquisitions or other City initiatives,” Matozzo wrote in a seven-page response.
More than six years have passed since his department and the city’s shelter division listed 11 properties as possible replacements for the Adelaide Resource Centre for Women, which is still operating in a city-owned building at 67 Adelaide Street East.
Based on criteria devised by the city’s shelter support and housing administration, 233 Carlton – a property owned by the parents of Marc and Craig Kielburger – was selected as the most suitable option. As of writing, the City of Toronto has paid $2.2 million in rent to them since January 1, 2020.
In July 2019 senior city staff signed off on a delegated approval form for a $6 million lease over 15 years and $3.7 million for renovations covering installation of an elevator, a kitchen, showers, programming areas and a rooftop patio. Under delegated authority, which allows staff to greenlight projects costing under $10 million, the drop-in project did not face Council scrutiny.
However, according to Matozzo, the $3.7 million assessment, based on a consultant’s report was only “to bring the building into a state of good repair.” The cost did not reflect “the full project scope and excluded additional project costs such as consultant fees, internal staffing, and furniture and equipment.”
The administrative inquiry confirmed that staff now peg completion costs totalling $13.5 million, more than three times the original estimate. The opening date is now estimated to be late this year.
In an email response to the bridge Councillor Moise expressed disappointment in city staff not being fully transparent about the project. “I don’t believe there’s any reason to continue to keep [certain] information a secret.”
In a separate motion, council approved Moise’s proposal to set up additional reporting instructions when projects approved by delegated authority exceed their allotted budget. This would allow councillors to learn about and consequently debate funding increases.
“The more transparency and oversight we can bring to multi-million-dollar construction and renovation projects, the better,” said Moise.
