Item - 2020.GL12.15

The General Government and Licensing Committee:

1.  Received the report (February 24, 2020) from the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management for information.

In July 2018, City Council adopted the Auditor General's report "Raising the Alarm: Fraud Investigation of a Vendor Providing Life Safety Inspection Services to the City of Toronto," (AU13.11) and issued 17 recommendations to address the issues raised in the audit, including gaps related to the inspection, testing and maintenance of fire protection equipment throughout the City. 

Corporate Real Estate Management has established the Fire and Life Safety Program Office, which has been working to centralize Fire and Life Safety activities within the City of Toronto and establish a structure to ensure oversight of Fire and Life Safety activities in agencies and corporations with existing programs. The Fire and Life Safety Program Office has made significant progress on bringing the City of Toronto in compliance with the Ontario Fire Code through changes in its service delivery structure, new technology, and improved quality assurance.

Staff expect to fulfil 95 percent of the Auditor General's recommendations by the first quarter of 2021. Full implementation is expected in the first quarter of 2022, when Corporate Real Estate Management expects to fulfil Recommendation 2, which calls for the division to bring all buildings into compliance with the Ontario Fire Code; establish a process to monitor the completeness of fire inspections and monitor the rectification of all fire safety deficiencies for all City Divisions, Agencies and Corporations; and report back to City Council annually on the level of compliance. To fulfil Recommendation 2, Corporate Real Estate Management must fully operationalize the Fire and Life Safety Program Office, centralize all functions City-wide, and ensure that sufficient time passes so that the impact of these measures can be measured. Implementation of the recommendations is subject to verification by the Auditor General's Office.