Staff Report #10
April 27, 2026
To All Commissioners
Re: Employee Recognition Program
Recommendation
That the report be RECEIVED for information.
Background
London Transit Commission has had a multi-faceted employee recognition program in place for decades. The program has grown over time to reflect the many ways employees contribute to the organization, and today covers a number of distinct areas, including safe driving, years of service, retirement, customer service excellence, as well as the broader community within the organization. Each element of the program is outlined below.
Annual Employee Recognition Ceremony
Each year, London Transit holds its Employee Recognition Ceremony as a brunch. The event brings together employees who have reached significant milestones in years of service and safe driving as well as those that have retired in the prior year. Beginning in 2020, the recipient of the Dianne Chenier Award is also awarded at the ceremony. Each of the specific categories of award is discussed in greater detail below.
Safe Driving Recognition
The Safe Driving Award is one of the longest-standing elements of the recognition program and is available to employees who reach a minimum threshold of hours of driving per year. Employees who achieve 25 or more years of safe driving are recognized at the annual Employee Recognition Ceremony, while those below the 25-year threshold are recognized directly by the Operations department each year.
Underpinning the program is a preventability review process. When a Motor Vehicle Accident occurs, it is assessed against a standard of preventability that considers whether the driver took every reasonable step available to avoid the accident. That review is conducted by a Committee that includes Operators and is chaired by an Operations Supervisor. Where an accident is found to be preventable, a corrective action process follows which may include counselling, retraining, or, in more serious cases, disciplinary action. Employees have the right to appeal a preventability finding to the Ontario Safety League for an independent review.
Service Recognition
Recognition pins are awarded at the 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50-year service milestones. Pins for milestones up to the 20 year mark are awarded to the employee by their manager or director. Employees with 25 years or greater milestones are recognized at the annual Employee Recognition Ceremony.
Retirement Recognition
The retirement recognition program acknowledges an employee’s completed years of service upon retirement. Each retiree receives recognition reflecting their years of service and is honoured at the Employee Recognition Ceremony in the year following their retirement.
Diane Chenier Trailblazer Award
In 2020, the Commission directed Administration to create an award recognizing a female bus Operator who serves as a role model and mentor for other female Operators. The award was established in memory of London Transit’s first female bus Operator who passed away that year, to recognize the progress made in changing perceptions of women in traditionally male-dominated roles. Nominations are submitted by LTC employees each year, and when there is more than one nominee, an online vote among LTC employees determines the recipient.
During the 2025 nomination process, a nominee was put forward who did not meet the established criteria of being in the Bus Operator classification. Given the award and associated criteria was established through a formal Commission direction, Administration did not have the authority to change the criteria independently. An employee subsequently reached out to members of the Commission directly regarding this and Administration was asked to prepare this report as a result.
If the Commission wishes to revisit the eligibility criteria for this award, Administration would recommend a referral and report back. This would allow for a proper review and the opportunity to consider whether broader changes are appropriate with the goal of ensuring employees across all classifications have a fair opportunity to be recognized.
Customer Service Excellence
When a commendation is received from a member of the public or a stakeholder, the employee’s Supervisor follows up directly with the employee to share the commendation. In addition to the direct feedback, commendations are also shared on internal messaging screens across the organization, so the recognition reaches beyond just the individual and their immediate team. All employees who received commendations are listed in each issue of the Communicator as well.
The Communicator
The Communicator is London Transit’s internal newsletter, shared also with all retirees, and has been a consistent part of the organization’s efforts to stay connected. Each edition introduces new employees, acknowledges retirees, remembers employees as well as retirees who have passed away, and as listed above, lists employees who have received customer service commendations. It serves as a useful record of the organization’s people and milestones over time.
Annual Employee and Retiree BBQ
Senior management hosts an annual BBQ for all current employees and retirees in the spring of each year. This event provides the opportunity for connection between all employees in a relaxed setting. The event has been well-received year over year and continues to draw strong attendance from both current employees and retirees.
Transit Workers Appreciation Day – March 18th
On March 18th every year, Transit Workers Appreciation Day is celebrated across Canada. At London Transit, coffee and treats are laid out for all employees to enjoy throughout the day. In addition, a series of thank you slides collected from the public, Commissioners and management are posted on the internal screens throughout the day. The messaging extends thanks to all employees, recognizing that it takes a dedicated team to keep the transit system moving dependably and safely every day.
Recommended by:
Joanne Galloway, Director of Human Resources
Concurred in by:
Kelly S. Paleczny, General Manager