Staff Report #11
January 29, 2025
To All Commissioners
Re: London Transit Commission Review
Recommendation
The report be NOTED and FILED.
Background
On January 14, 2025, the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee received a report outlining civic administration’s recommended approach for the London Transit Commission Review in response to the Council directions as set out below (see Enclosure I). The report was subsequently approved by Municipal Council on January 21, 2025.
On July 25, 2023, Council resolved that Civic Administration review the current London Transit Commission (LTC) by-law and report back with any recommended changes to reflect the necessary collaboration between LTC and the City of London in delivering on Council’s 2023 to 2027 Strategic Plan.
On April 2, 2024, Council resolved that Civic Administration undertake a Request for Proposals for an external auditor to initiate a comprehensive operations and performance audit of LTC. The additional direction included a review of current routes relative to best practices, the structure of the organization, passes and contracted services, and other key performance indicators. It also included an evaluation of LTC’s readiness to operate and integrate with the rapid transit service currently under construction. Further, the audit would identify, evaluate, and recommend alternate service delivery models for transit, including but not limited to the municipality delivering the service directly.
As the report indicates, civic administration is recommending the scope of work be broken down into four distinct audits or reviews, namely:
- Review of Commission structure and by-laws, based on best practices, noting the consultant will be tasked with identifying enhancements to the Commission’s composition and by-law needed to advance Council’s transit-related goals and identifying if these cannot be achieved within an adjusted version of the current governance model that retains the transit commission. Finally, the consultant will also be tasked with the development of an implementation plan for any recommended changes approved by council. Members of the Commission and select London Transit staff will be interviewed by the consultant as part of this review.
- Rapid Transit Operational Readiness Review: which will consider LTC’s plans to operate the rapid transit system currently under construction relative to best practices for similar systems in other jurisdictions. Route integration, back-of-house, on-bus/on-street operations, and all associated policies and procedures will be considered as part of this work.
- Transit Passes and Subsidized Transit Programs: All transit pass and subsidized transit programs will be reviewed as part of this work to ensure that they are meeting their program objectives and that those objectives remain appropriate relative to Council’s transit goals and best practices.
- Route Planning and Management: This review will consider LTC’s procedures for planning new transit routes and modifying or discontinuing existing ones relative to industry standards. A focus on how transit planning is integrated into London’s rapid growth, both residential and industrial, will be part of the scope of work.
Requests for proposal calls are to be issued in the coming weeks, with contract awards for consultants following.
The report also articulates that London Transit staff will be an important part of the project; however no further details with respect to the anticipated level of participation have been provided at this time. As set out in Staff Report #3 dated January 29, 2025, the level and extent of participation by London Transit staff may impact other priority items on the 2025 Work Program.
Further update reports will be provided as these reviews progress over the coming months.
Enclosure
I – Strategic Priorities and Policy Report Re: London Transit Commission Review Recommended Approach
Recommended by:
Mike Gregor, Director of Finance
Craig Morneau, Director of Fleet & Facilities
Joanne Galloway, Director of Human Resources
Katie Burns, Director of Planning
Shawn Wilson, Director of Operations
David Butler, Manager, Operations Administration
Concurred in by:
Kelly S. Paleczny, General Manager