TORONTO - June 30, 2010 -- The Board of Directors of Toronto Community Housing has directed the organization to take quick action to implement improvements recommended in the LeSage Review report on the eviction of elderly tenant Al Gosling. 

Yesterday, at the first Board meeting since the report's release, the Board heard from Justice Patrick LeSage and more than 20 tenants and stakeholders about the review, the report and its recommendations. 

"As I said when the Board made the report public on June 18th, Toronto Community Housing deeply regrets Mr. Gosling's eviction and we are very sorry at his subsequent passing," said Board chair David Mitchell. "After hearing from Justice LeSage, tenants and other concerned Torontonians today, the Board understands confidence in the organization has been shaken. We are strongly committed to implementing the report's recommendations to improve our organization and strengthen how we respond to vulnerable tenants." 

"We will act quickly on those recommendations that we feel will have the greatest immediate impact," Mitchell said. "Others will require consultations with stakeholders before we can take action." 

Chief Executive Officer Keiko Nakamura will present a plan for implementing the LeSage Review's recommendations for the Board's consideration at its meeting in August. 

Nakamura has committed to clear and aggressive implementation. 

"As Justice LeSage suggested at yesterday's Board meeting, we will have an inclusive and collaborative process that will involve staff, tenants, the unions, stakeholders, community agencies and government partners," Nakamura said. 

"We need to continue working hard at making substantive changes to improve how we respond to vulnerable tenants. That's something we absolutely must deliver on to earn the trust of tenants and the people of Toronto," Nakamura said. 

Upon learning of Mr. Gosling's passing last fall, Toronto Community Housing began a process for organizational improvement, which has already resulted in changes in several areas identified by Justice LeSage. They include: 

· Making face-to-face contact with tenants a requirement on matters relating to rent collection and arrears. 

· Adopting an integrated team approach to eviction prevention at the building level, to better identify when a tenancy is at risk and to promote better communications and problem solving by the team. 

· Establishing a collaborative working relationship with community legal clinics to help reduce the need for evictions. 

· Linking staff to community resources-especially to support staff working in buildings where there is a higher proportion of vulnerable tenants. 

· Implementing a comprehensive eviction prevention training plan to further educate staff on their collective roles and accountability. 

Completing a Mental Health Framework and vulnerable tenants protocol to strengthen how staff identify and support vulnerable tenancies.

"We have made a good start, but clearly there is so much more to do," Nakamura said. "The report adds fuel and momentum to these efforts and will drive further improvements." 

Mitchell thanked Justice LeSage and his team for delivering a report that provides clear direction on where the organization needs to improve. He also thanked the tenants, stakeholders, employees and others who took part in the review. 

Mr. Gosling was evicted in June 2009 for failure to verify his income or repay arrears. Following his death in October 2009, the Board appointed Justice LeSage to lead an independent review of the events leading to the eviction and Toronto Community Housing's eviction prevention policy. 

About Toronto Community Housing

Toronto Community Housing (www.torontohousing.ca) is Canada's largest social housing provider and home to more than 164,000 tenants with low and moderate incomes-about six per cent of the City of Toronto's population. Toronto Community Housing employs 1,400 staff in a broad range of jobs, who deliver its mission to provide affordable housing, connect tenants to services and opportunities, and work together to build healthy communities.

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For further information: 

Jeffrey Ferrier, Media Relations Manager, Toronto Community Housing

416-981-4252 or jeffrey.ferrier@torontohousing.ca