Item - 2019.GL8.8

The General Government and Licensing Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council authorize the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, to negotiate and execute a non-competitive contract with Building Reports Canada for the provision of Fire and Life Safety tracking and compliance software for an initial term of five years from the effective date of the contract in the total amount of $1,530,000 net of all applicable taxes and charges ($1,556,928 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries), on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and the City Solicitor.

2.  City Council request all City of Toronto agencies and corporations to submit information, on annual basis, about the completeness of required Fire and Life Safety inspections, testing, and maintenance to the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management.

The Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and the Director, Fire and Life Safety Program Office, Corporate Real Estate Management, gave a presentation on Update on Fire and Life Safety at the City of Toronto.

This report provides an update on Fire and Life Safety initiatives at the City of Toronto (the City), including a third-party audit of Fire and Life Safety records to assess compliance and the development of a consistent, City-wide approach to Fire and Life Safety.

In 2019, the City hired third-party vendors to complete an audit of Fire and Life Safety documentation at City facilities and to report back on findings, including corrective actions. The results of the third-party audit confirmed previously-identified issues with records and contract management and also demonstrated that documentation compliance has been improving through 2019. While the safety of the building stock and the occupants have not been compromised, the City has been exposed to an unacceptable risk due to poor recordkeeping by unregulated contractors. As a result of subsequent investigations and quality assurance initiatives, the City has terminated contracts with three vendors and is in the process of suspending these vendors from bidding on City contracts for five years.

These audit findings reinforce the need to establish a centralized, City-wide approach to Fire and Life Safety, which will reduce risk to the City and also align with the centralization of real estate and facilities services through the City-Wide Real Estate Transformation. The City has made substantial progress towards developing this centralized approach, including key initiatives to implement compliance tracking software, the development of standard operating procedures, the creation of a Master Fire Plan and associated training, and the procurement of new Fire and Life Safety services. These initiatives are complete or on track for implementation in late 2019 or early 2020. To advance progress on these initiatives, this report also recommends the award of a non-competitive contract to Building Reports Canada in the amount of $1,530,000 net of all applicable taxes and charges ($1,556,928 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries) for the provision of Fire and Life Safety tracking and compliance software for a term of five years.

To ensure the implementation and sustainment of the City-wide approach to Fire and Life Safety, a Fire and Life Safety Program Office (Program Office) has been established with input from City stakeholders and industry experts. This report outlines the Program Office's key functions and work plan through 2022, in an effort to increase compliance with the Ontario Fire Code across City facilities.