Toronto backtracks on return-to-office plans for city employees as Omicron spreads fire from government contracting
City of Toronto employees are being told that if they do not return to work, they may be unable to collect their pensions, severance and benefits.
Photo: Photo courtesy of City of Toronto
If the City of Toronto does come under a government contract with Omicron Technologies Ltd., the private sector technology firm, employees who continue to work for the city will lose their jobs.
The city says they will have no choice but to accept reduced pay and benefits.
The City of Toronto is one of four governments bidding for a contract with Omicron, which employs more than 3,000 people throughout Ontario’s largest city.
The contract, which runs for up to 25 years, is for the replacement of Toronto’s aging fire fighting equipment, an Omicron-owned business that has been operating for over 30 years.
The city says it cannot afford to wait until the new contract is approved.
The Omicron deal with the provincial government was approved in October and is expected to be submitted to the province’s budget this fall.
The City of Toronto says it wants to know whether Omicron is using its taxpayer-funded money for improper purposes, such as purchasing expensive equipment it did not need.
The City of Toronto says it will use the information, if it has it, to help bring a legal challenge to the deal with Omicron and to ensure that taxpayers are protected.
“All the information collected by the City will be made available to the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer for any information that may aid in any legal proceeding,” said Stephen Holyday, a spokesperson for the City of Toronto.
“The information will be considered and used to inform and educate the public that is important to the City, to ensure that taxpayers are being protected and to help provide information so that the contract is not awarded to an improper person
