Toronto backtracks on return-to-office plans for city employees as Omicron spreads $13M plan
Toronto Mayor John Tory, the city manager and the chief administrative officer of the city have sent out a joint statement this evening announcing that the city will not be returning to work on Monday, April 9 after the previous day’s April Fool’s Day.
“This decision was difficult and it was driven by a serious set of concerns that have come to fore. Toronto is stronger than the days of April Fool’s, but, as always, we will keep working on these issues. We will continue to improve. I would like to thank everyone who has supported this city.”
The Omicron Blue Line has announced a proposal to build a $13 million multi-use project at Eglinton and Queen Sts. to expand transit service in Toronto’s inner-city. The City of Toronto will continue to explore a new funding proposal, and is looking at other ways to improve transit connectivity, services and mobility for the region. The project will expand Eglinton LRT connections and provide transit service to Eglinton, Parkdale, and Mount Pleasant, and the Eglinton West LRT expansion.
“We have to be realistic and understand that in the last eight months we’ve had a change in government. We’ve had changes in the mayor and the chief administratice and we’ve had change in a lot of political parties and a lot of people running for mayor, so we have to be as open and transparent to give them the best news and the best information that we can. I don’t think there’s any magic sauce that’s going to happen,” said Omicron CEO Mike Kelly.
“The mayor, the chief administratice and council have been clear that this is a priority for them and we’re looking at a variety of ways to better connect and serve the residents in the downtown core,” he added.
“This project will provide better transit connections, make it easier and more attractive for people to live, work and do business in the downtown core, and strengthen transit for all users – pedestrians, public transit, OMCs and others who rely on the system.”
Kelly said the plan to expand Eglinton LRT connections will provide better service for