‘An expensive I told you so’: Former LTC chair on $133K consultant’s review

A former LTC chair is criticizing an audit of the commission that says only minor changes in governance were needed at London Transit. Daryl Newcombe explains.

More than a year after council dissolved the previous London Transit Commission (LTC), former Chair Stephanie Marentette says an independent governance review has vindicated her and the other members who were removed by council.

“That is quite an expensive I told you so,” Stephanie Marentette told CTV News. “The report essentially supports exactly what I proposed on behalf of the commission in March 2025.”

Last year, council approved spending $132,650 for a consultant to independently review the LTC’s governance structure and relevant by-laws.

The report going to a committee later this week confirms that governance challenges exist in the relationship between city hall and the LTC, but they can be addressed within the existing commission model.

It recommends against bringing London Transit in-house as a municipal department at city hall and instead recommends it remain an arms-length commission that would have a majority of its members from council and the remaining seats filled by appointed citizens.

In early 2025, the transit commission was rocked by the sudden resignation of three members, including Coun. David Ferreira.

Ferreira’s resignation letter cited, “Persistent issues around the dynamics of decision-making.”

At the time, Marentette argued council should not disband the commission, instead urging the two bodies to work collaboratively until the results of a governance audit.

Instead, the commission was dissolved and subsequently replaced by a group of city council members.

Over a year later, Marentette believes that decision had negative consequences for London Transit.

“Councillors wandering into that situation with no experience or any real context for what’s actually going on at the ground level, that definitely triggered a loss of momentum (at London Transit) on some key issues,” she said.

She also points to the consultant’s recommendation to reconstitute the commission with a mix of councillors and members of the public.

“You need members of the public to give that oversight,” Marentette argued. “Eliminating people with a significant history with the commission, such as Commissioner [Sheryl] Rooth was just very ill-conceived because you’re losing institutional knowledge.”

However, Coun. Sam Trosow stands behind his vote in favour of disbanding the commission led by Marentette.

“I stand by the decision that council made given my assessment, and the assessment of others, in terms of the effectiveness of the previous board,” Trosow said.

He believes there is value in the six primary recommendations from the consultant that aim to strengthen communication and coordination between city hall and the LTC.

“The main takeaway from the report is that there has to be closer coordination between City of London staff, City Council, LTC staff and the LTC board. I’m very optimistic that this report is a step in the right direction,” Trosow added.

In recommending the new LTC model, the consultant’s report cites challenges faced by the current and previous models.

“Under previous governance structures, Board composition and broadly defined appointment criteria did not always ensure the full range of expertise,” it reads.

The report also cites comments from London Transit staff about the impact of councillors filling all of the commission’s seats, “Some LTC staff described a stronger pull toward ward-specific or politically salient issues, relative to system-wide decision-making since the interim board was established in March 2025.”

Marentette said, “The report proposes a really good plan in terms of addressing the communication problems, and it also supports not making decisions based on the whims of every councillor and what they want to see in their wards.”

She suggests the report should also reconfirm public trust in London Transit, “The organization itself is operationally sound. It’s operating as lean as it can be. You’re dealing with some very talented people and some very, very challenging issues with a shoestring budget.”

The Strategic Priorities and Policy Committee (SPPC) will consider the consultant’s report on May 28.

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