Consultant’s $133K report steers council back to supporting arms-length London Transit

London committee votes to support the recommendations of a governance review conducted by an independent consultant.

Like most bus routes, London Transit’s governance model will eventually return to where it started.

On Thursday, the Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee (SPPC) supported the recommendations of a governance review conducted by an independent consultant.

“It demonstrates we need to have some slight course corrections, but not a major overhaul,” said Coun. Skylar Franke, who has chaired the interim London Transit Commission.

In early 2025, three members of the LTC resigned, triggering council to dissolved the remaining commission and appoint a temporary commission comprised entirely of council members.

Last June, Council approved hiring a consultant for $132,650 to review the LTC’s governance structure to determine if London Transit should become a municipal department within city hall or remain an arms-length agency governed by a commission made up of both councillors and citizens.

It recommends the LTC remain an arms-length, but this time with a majority of its members from council, and the remaining seats filled by appointed citizens.

“I personally have always wanted to have members of the public on the commission, so I’m glad to see that was suggested and I look forward to when that can occur,” added Franke.

The report also highlights several challenges with communications and coordination between the LTC and city hall.

Coun. Corrine Rahman told colleagues, “A lot of what I read in-between the lines of the report has to do with relationship building.”

The consultant’s six recommendations:

• Commission Composition: Establishes a Councillor-majority board with required expertise for public member appointments
• Responsibilities and Collaboration: Establishes formal coordination forums and a clear escalation framework between City and LTC
• Reporting Frequency and Structure: Increases the reporting frequency to Council, focused on priorities, risks, and strategic decisions
• Commissioner Onboarding and Training: Introduces structured onboarding and annual governance training for all Commissioners
• Refined Strategic Outlook and Planning: Strengthens the link between LTC’s business plan, Council priorities, and implementation accountability
• Enhance Strategic Capacity: Adds a dedicated role within LTC to lead strategy, coordination, and Council-facing communication

If approved by Council at its meeting on June 2, Civic Administration will work with leadership at London Transit to begin implementation of, “targeted set of enhancements that will strengthen accountability, clarify roles, and improve the strategic interface between Council and LTC.”