The elephants are lucky they’re leaving.
A review of the city’s core services suggests selling the Toronto Zoo.
It’s the latest city asset KPMG recommends the city wash its hands of.
Mayor Rob Ford dodged a question Wednesday about whether he’d sell it.
“This is about priorities and what we can afford,” Ford said when asked directly about the suggested zoo selloff.
At its meeting Thursday, the parks and environment committee will consider pulling the city out of the business of running the Riverdale Farm, the High Park zoo and the Far Enough Farm on Toronto Island.
Councillors on the executive committee will have to mull selling off the Toronto Zoo, too, at next Thursday’s meeting.
Selling the zoo would yield $3.5 million in net savings, according to a confidential document viewed by the Sun.
The zoo won’t be the only city facility that could be up for sale.
Consultants also recommend councillors consider selling one or more of the city’s theatres, specifically the Toronto Centre for the Arts.
Weeks before the Canadian National Exhibition starts, the report recommends councillors think about making the CNE independent from the city.
FINANCIAL JUNGLE
- Sell the zoo to private owners.
- Partner or give the zoo to the federal government or other governments.
- Create a non-profit entity to run and operate the zoo.
- Integrate finance, infrastructure management and administration services with the city.
Contract out the security department. They have sixteen fulltime security guards (and hire additional temps during the summer); of those sixteen:
ReplyDeleteFour are Supervisors, making in excess of $50,000 annually.
Four are Lead Hands, making in excess of $40,000 annually.
These eight supervise the remaining eight, who make $35,000 to $40,000 annually.
The department is headed by a Manager, who makes a very tidy sum for what he does.
The city could either contract out security to a reputable company, or eliminate the unnecessary supervisory positions.
Trim the fat!