Meeting #5
MINUTES OF THE LONDON TRANSIT COMMISSION HELD IN THE COMMISSION BOARDROOM AT 9:31 A.M. ON MONDAY AUGUST 31, 2026
Those present were
Skylar Franke – Chair
Corrine Rahman – Vice-Chair
Steve Lehman – Commissioner
Sam Trosow – Commissioner – joined virtually
Josh Morgan – Commissioner – joined virtually
Also present were
Kelly Paleczny – General Manager
David Butler – Director of Operations – Conventional
Katie Burns – Director of Planning
Mike Gregor – Director of Finance
Craig Morneau – Director of Fleet & Facilities
Shawn Wilson – Director of Operations – Specialized
Caroline Roy – Secretary
| Meeting to order | The Chair called the meeting to order. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Completion and
Acceptance of Agenda |
The Chair called for the acceptance of the agenda as amended, C. Rahman moves, seconded by S. Lehman the acceptance of the agenda as amended.
YEAS: S. Franke, S. Lehman, J. Morgan, C. Rahman and S. Trosow CARRIED. |
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| In Camera | C. Rahman moves, seconded by S. Lehman, the Commission move In Camera to CONSIDER:
i. A matter pertaining to advice subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose, and advice with respect to litigation with respect to claims against the Commission; and ii. A matter pertaining to advice subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose, and advice with respect to litigation with respect to claims against the Commission CARRIED. At the In Camera session, the Commission met to CONSIDER: i. A matter pertaining to advice subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose, and advice with respect to litigation with respect to claims against the Commission; and ii. A matter pertaining to advice subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose, and advice with respect to litigation with respect to claims against the Commission Pursuant to procedural requirement of Section 239 of the Municipal Act, the Commission REPORTED PROGRESS on: i. A matter pertaining to advice subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose, and advice with respect to litigation with respect to claims against the Commission; and ii. A matter pertaining to advice subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose, and advice with respect to litigation with respect to claims against the Commission CARRIED. |
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| Disclosures
of Pecuniary Interest |
The Chair called for disclosures of pecuniary interest with respect to the agenda as amended. There were no conflicts of interest declared. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minutes | C. Rahman moves, seconded by S. Lehman, the minutes of the meeting held on June 29, 2026 be APPROVED.
YEAS: S. Franke, S. Lehman, J. Morgan, C. Rahman and S. Trosow CARRIED. |
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| 2026 Work Program – Second Quarter Update | With regard to the 2026 Work Program – Second Quarter Update, copy attached, S. Lehman moves, seconded by C. Rahman, the Commission RECEIVE the report.
YEAS: S. Franke, S. Lehman, J. Morgan, C. Rahman and S. Trosow CARRIED. |
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| Climate Action Program Update | With regard to the Climate Action Program Update, copy attached, S. Lehman moves, seconded by C. Rahman, the Commission RECEIVE the letter.
YEAS: S. Franke, S. Lehman, J. Morgan, C. Rahman and S. Trosow CARRIED. |
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| Financial Update – Conventional Operating Budget – July 31, 2026 | With regard to the Financial Update – Conventional Operating Budget – July 31, 2026 report, copy attached, S. Lehman moves, seconded by C. Rahman, the Commission RECEIVE the report.
YEAS: S. Franke, S. Lehman, J. Morgan, C. Rahman and S. Trosow CARRIED. |
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| Financial Update – Specialized Operating Budget – July 31, 2026 | With regard to the Financial Update – Specialized Operating Budget – July 31, 2026 report, copy attached, S. Lehman moves, seconded by C. Rahman, the Commission RECEIVE the report.
YEAS: S. Franke, S. Lehman, J. Morgan, C. Rahman and S. Trosow CARRIED. |
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| Financial Update – Capital Budget – July 31, 2026 | With regard to the Financial Update – Capital Budget – July 31, 2026 report, copy attached, S. Lehman moves, seconded by C. Rahman, the Commission RECEIVE the report.
YEAS: S. Franke, S. Lehman, J. Morgan, C. Rahman and S. Trosow CARRIED. |
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| 2026 Road Construction and Special Events Update | With regard to the 2026 Road Construction and Special Events Update report, copy attached, S. Lehman moves, seconded by C. Rahman, the Commission RECEIVE the report.
YEAS: S. Franke, S. Lehman, J. Morgan, C. Rahman and S. Trosow CARRIED. |
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| 2027 Operating Budget Program | With regard to the 2027 Operating Budget Program report, copy attached, S. Lehman moves, seconded by C. Rahman, the Commission amend the recommendation to include:
i. DIRECT Administration to join advocacy efforts regarding rising diesel costs and tariffs through the Ontario Public Transit Association and the Canadian Urban Transit Association; and ii. REQUEST the Commission and Council to advocate to upper levels of government regarding rising diesel costs and tariffs. YEAS: S. Franke, S. Lehman, J. Morgan, C. Rahman and S. Trosow CARRIED. S. Lehman moves, seconded by C. Rahman, the Commission: i. APPROVE the 2027 Operating Budget Program for public transit services allocated as follows:
ii. DIRECT Administration to submit the approved 2027 public transit services operating budget to civic administration consistent with the City of London’s reporting format; and iii. DIRECT Administration to submit a Budget Amendment Case increasing the City of London investment by $2,037,800 million for 2027 to support the permanent addition of 2,400 service growth hours and the increased cost of diesel fuel. iv. DIRECT Administration to join advocacy efforts regarding rising diesel costs and tariffs through the Ontario Public Transit Association and the Canadian Urban Transit Association; and v. REQUEST the Commission and Council to advocate to upper levels of government regarding rising diesel costs and tariffs. YEAS: S. Franke, S. Lehman, J. Morgan, C. Rahman and S. Trosow CARRIED. |
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| 2027 Assessment Growth Business Case | With regard to the 2027 Assessment Growth Business Case report, copy attached, C. Rahman moves, seconded by S. Lehman, the Commission:
i. APPROVE a submission of an Assessment Growth Business Case for 2027 which provides for a fixed route service expansion in the Hyde Park area at an annual cost of $2,096,200 and the implementation of Alternative Service Delivery Zones to the Fox Hollow and North Lambeth/South Byron Areas at an annual cost of $1,451,800; and ii. DIRECT Administration to prepare and submit the Business Case in the required City of London format. YEAS: S. Franke, S. Lehman, J. Morgan, C. Rahman and S. Trosow CARRIED. |
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| 2027 – 2036 Capital Budget Program | With regard to the 2027 – 2036 Capital Budget Program report, copy attached, C. Rahman moves, seconded by S. Lehman, the Commission:
i. APPROVE the 2027 capital budget program of $37,220,000 comprised of the following programs:
noting identified funding from the City of London of $25,172,400 and the Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF) program of $5,106,000 is subject to the approval of Municipal Council as part of the City of London’s 2027 budget approval process; and ii. DIRECT Administration to submit the recommended 2027 Capital Budget Program, and provisional estimates for 2028 to 2036 to civic Administration consistent with the City of London’s reporting format. YEAS: S. Franke, S. Lehman, J. Morgan, C. Rahman and S. Trosow CARRIED. |
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| Contract Award – Facility Consultant for 450 Highbury Facility Rebuild | With regard to the Contract Award – Facility Consultant for 450 Highbury Facility Rebuild report, copy attached, S. Lehman moves, seconded by C. Rahman, the Commission:
i. APPROVE a contract award for consulting services relating to the Highbury Facility Rebuild Project to Arcadis Professional Services Inc. at a cost of $4.343 million covering the project review, facility design and construction documents phases of the project; and ii. DIRECT Administration to finalize a contract with Arcadis Professional Services Inc. based on the scope outlined in the request for qualification and the bid submission. YEAS: S. Franke, S. Lehman, J. Morgan, C. Rahman and S. Trosow CARRIED. |
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| London Transit Commission Governance Review | With regard to the London Transit Commission Governance Review report, copy attached, C. Rahman moves, seconded by S. Lehman, the Commission:
i. With respect to Recommendation #1, REQUEST to Council to appoint four (4) members of Council through the regular appointment process in 2026. We request the three (3) citizen appointees be appointed alongside the Council appointment process. With the positions posted following Council approval early this Fall. The hope is that all appointments will be completed for LTC by end of December 2026. ii. With respect to Recommendation #1, REQUEST the following qualifications be added to the Commission job description prior to the call for applications: a) Financial/Audit expertise b) Transit/Transportation Planning expertise c) Economic Development/City-Building expertise d) Accessibility/Equity expertise iii. That with respect to Recommendation #3 – improving the reporting structure and increasing the reporting frequency to Council to strengthen reporting clarity, improve transparency, and enable more proactive, decision-focused oversight by Council that the Commission agenda link BE SHARED with all members of Council. Continue with annual report update at SPPC. S. Trosow moves, seconded by S. Franke, the following BE ADDED to the Commission job description prior to the call for applications: i. Lived experience as a London Transit rider be considered an asset. YEAS: S. Franke, S. Lehman, J. Morgan and C. Rahman NAYS: S. Trosow CARRIED. C. Rahman moves, seconded by S. Lehman, the following BE ADDED to the proposed amendment regarding the Commission job description prior to the call for applications: i. “conventional and/or specialized” C. Rahman moves, seconded by S. Lehman, the Commission REFER the remaining four (4) recommendations from the Governance Review be included on the October 19, 2026 Commission agenda. YEAS: S. Franke, S. Lehman, J. Morgan and C. Rahman NAYS: S. Trosow CARRIED. C. Rahman moves, seconded by S. Lehman, the Commission: i. With respect to Recommendation #1, REQUEST to Council to appoint four (4) members of Council through the regular appointment process in 2026. We request the three (3) citizen appointees be appointed alongside the Council appointment process. With the positions posted following Council approval early this Fall. The hope is that all appointments will be completed for LTC by end of December 2026. ii. With respect to Recommendation #1, REQUEST the following qualifications be added to the Commission job description prior to the call for applications: a) Financial/Audit expertise b) Transit/Transportation Planning expertise c) Economic Development/City-Building expertise d) Accessibility/Equity expertise iii. With respect to Recommendation #1, that lived experience as a conventional and/or specialized London Transit rider be CONSIDERED an asset. iv. That with respect to Recommendation #3 – improving the reporting structure and increasing the reporting frequency to Council to strengthen reporting clarity, improve transparency, and enable more proactive, decision-focused oversight by Council that the Commission agenda link BE SHARED with all members of Council. Continue with annual report update at SPPC. v. REFER the remaining four (4) recommendations from the Governance Review be included on the October 19, 2026 Commission agenda. YEAS: S. Franke, S. Lehman, J. Morgan and C. Rahman NAYS: S. Trosow CARRIED. |
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| Date of Next Meeting | The Commission confirmed the date of the next meeting as follows:
Monday October 19, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. |
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| Adjournment | C. Rahman moves, seconded by S. Lehman, the meeting be adjourned. CARRIED. The meeting adjourned at 11:32 a.m.
__________________________________________ Skylar Franke – Chair __________________________________________ Caroline Roy – Secretary |