Who Gave City Staff the Power to Spend $2M Without Council Oversight?
Unelected administrators approved decade-long projects with federal funds—no debate, no defined outcomes, no transparency. Londoners deserve better.
What would you say if you found out that $2 million of public funding was committed to land purchases and building upgrades without Council debate, public input, or a competitive bidding process?
That’s exactly what happened in 2021 under the federal government’s Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy—a $5 billion national program. Here in London, it’s being managed in ways that sidestep democratic processes and public accountability.
The program was promoted as a way to “prevent and reduce homelessness.” But more than three years and millions of dollars later, Londoners are witnessing:
More tents in parks and sidewalks
More addiction and mental health crises
More crime in every ward
And no visible improvement in housing outcomes or public safety
In 2021, $2 million was allocated to the following three projects:
$1,000,000 to Atlohsa Family Services for land acquisition tied to an Indigenous homelessness strategy
$500,000 to London Cares to renovate its office as a community service hub
$500,000 to Unity Project for land or facility acquisition for a new emergency shelter
These funds were approved through single-source procurement, justified under Section 14.4.i of the City's procurement policy, which allows this approach when another government provides the funding and selects the supplier.
But make no mistake: there is only one taxpayer.
Just because these are federal dollars doesn’t mean Londoners won’t bear the long-term cost. Once infrastructure is built, the City typically inherits responsibility for maintenance, staffing, and service integration.
Unelected Staff, Long-Term Decisions
In December 2021, during the final year of the previous Council’s term, a by-law was passed delegating authority to staff to approve and execute all future Reaching Home sub-project agreements—without bringing those decisions back to Council. While this was likely intended to streamline project delivery, it effectively removed elected oversight from capital projects involving public funds.
This has enabled long-term funding commitments—some lasting a decade or more—without defined deliverables or measurable outcomes. For example, as revealed through a Freedom of Information request by a councillor:
Unity Project’s $500,000 contract has a 2032 end date and lists no defined outcomes—only that “targets will be determined through a future service agreement.”
This raises serious concerns about governance, oversight, and the future financial implications for London residents.
We’re Not Against Helping—We’re For Accountability
We want to be clear: CCAL supports effective, transparent efforts to address homelessness. But we are deeply concerned when:
Projects are approved without Council debate
Contracts are awarded without competition
Infrastructure is built using emergency funding without long-term planning
Funding repeatedly goes to a narrow group of ideologically aligned agencies
Outcomes are undefined, unmeasured, or delayed for years
This is not responsible governance. It is not how democratic institutions are meant to function.
✅ CCAL is calling for:
Council approval and public review of all future Reaching Home capital acquisitions
A public audit and report covering all Reaching Home allocations from 2019–2025
Reversal of delegated authority allowing staff to bypass Council on future agreements
Clear documentation of timelines, outcomes, and performance metrics for every funded project
💬 Here’s what you can do:
✅ Share this article
✅ Contact your councillor and ask why this happened without your input
✅ Visit www.ccal.info
✅ Email us at ccal.info2030@gmail.com to get involved
Together, we can restore transparency, balance, and public trust in how our city operates. Because blind spending without oversight isn’t a solution—it’s a liability.
📎 The Full Letter CCAL Sent to Council by email on June 12, 2025:
Subject: Reaching Home Capital Allocations: A Call for Transparency, Accountability, and Responsible Oversight
Dear Mayor Morgan and Members of Council,
On behalf of the Concerned Citizens Association of London (CCAL), we are writing to urge greater transparency and democratic oversight regarding the Reaching Home capital funding allocations—specifically the $2 million in 2021 capital funding awarded without competitive bidding or routine public accountability.
As you know, the Community and Protective Services Committee approved three major capital projects funded by the federal Reaching Home program:
$1,000,000 – Land acquisition by Atlohsa for Indigenous homelessness programming
$500,000 – London Cares for office renovations to serve chronically homeless individuals
$500,000 – Unity Project for a new emergency shelter facility
These projects were all awarded through single-source procurement under Section 14.4.i of the City’s Procurement Policy. While legally permissible, this process bypassed open competition and full Council scrutiny—an approach that raises legitimate concerns about fairness, transparency, and long-term sustainability.
We recognize that these are federally funded initiatives; however, it seems misleading to suggest there is “no impact” on the municipal budget. There is only one taxpayer. Once the infrastructure is built, municipalities often inherit the responsibility to staff, operate, and maintain it—often without dedicated federal support in the years ahead.
In December 2021, Council approved a recommendation allowing staff to unilaterally execute sub-project agreements for Reaching Home projects without returning to Council. While this may have been intended to streamline processes, we believe that this level of delegation—especially for long-term capital projects—risks sidelining democratic oversight and eroding public trust.
We also note an emerging trend: funding is consistently directed to a small set of ideologically aligned agencies with identity-specific mandates. While these organizations provide important services, many citizens are concerned that the focus on ideology may be overshadowing the need for clearly defined, measurable outcomes that serve all Londoners.
For example, Unity Project’s $500,000 project has a contract end date of 2032 and contains no defined targets—only that outcomes are “to be determined through a future service contract.” This appears to be a decade-long project with no clear deliverables, initially justified under emergency pandemic measures.
And yet, more than three years later, the public is witnessing:
An increase in visible homelessness
Ongoing addiction and mental health crises
Rising crime and safety concerns
Growing frustration about the lack of tangible progress despite major investment
We believe there is a better path forward—one that reflects the priorities of London residents and strengthens democratic engagement.
CCAL respectfully recommends the following steps:
That all future capital acquisitions using Reaching Home funds require formal Council approval and public review.
That a full audit and public report be issued covering all Reaching Home capital allocations and sub-projects from 2019 to 2025.
That delegated authority to staff for future Reaching Home sub-project agreements be reconsidered in favour of a more transparent, accountable process.
That future funding agreements include documented outcomes, timelines, and success metrics to ensure that public investments are tied to measurable community benefit.
We believe these changes would increase public confidence, restore the proper balance between staff and elected officials, and ensure that future investments truly serve those most in need.
Thank you for your time and service. We look forward to your leadership in restoring transparency, accountability, and public trust.
Sincerely,
Concerned Citizens Association of London (CCAL)