The City of Toronto paid owners of hotels that were turned into homeless shelters $13.2 million more than was required under contracts between the city and the shelter hotels during the pandemic. Homeless people, not just taxpayers, were impacted by lax contract oversight by senior city staff, according to the report from city auditor general Beverly Romeo-Beehler. Since city staff were alerted of the findings, one hotel operator offered to repay $381,000 but as of April there was no record of that repayment. While the city has said it is winding down use of shelter hotels as the pandemic ends, the audit says the city will continue needing hotel rooms as extra capacity for the stand-alone shelter system. David Rider is the Star’s City Hall bureau chief and a reporter covering city hall and municipal politics.

Source: thestar June 01, 2022 12:08 UTC