Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has reimbursed the City of Toronto for the salary he was paid during his two-month leave of absence, according to a statement from the mayor's office.
According to the statement issued Wednesday, Ford's first full day back on the job, repaying the money was one of the mayor's first acts upon his return.
Days after returning from a rehab program at GreeneStone in Muskoka, Ford told reporters he was "ashamed" of his past behaviour, but eager to get back to work on his election campaign.
"We've come a long way despite my personal troubles and I'm extremely proud of my public record," he told reporters at City Hall on Monday.
Ford meets with executive committee
Resuming his duties as mayor, Ford attended his first executive committee meeting after spending time in rehab for substance abuse problems.
There are 38 items on the agenda for the executive meeting Wednesday, including a review of the city's response to the December ice storm, renewals of police and housing grants, and updates on various construction projects across the city.
The executive committee is also expected to consider working with the TTC to come up with a low-income transit fare system, but the motion was held for a later date by committee chair Norm Kelly.
If approved, the city and TTC would develop joint guidelines for affordable fares, similar to the systems used in Hamilton, Calgary, Kingston and other cities.
The movement was inspired by a report released by Toronto Public Health in March 2013 showed that low-income commuters are twice as likely to depend on transit for work as the highest income group.
Of Torontonians aged 15 and older, 42.8 per cent of those who earn less than $20,000 use public transit, compared to 27.4 per cent of people who earn $80,000 or more.
Toronto Public Health is suggesting the TTC base fares on how much money an individual makes.
Motion to increase Pan Am spending
In addition to the TTC suggestion, the executive committee held off on making a decision about a motion to increase the budget for a BMX bike track being built in Etobicoke for the 2015 Pan American Games.
The current budget for the track is $1.5 million, but a city staff report recommends increasing the price tag to $4.4 million so the construction can be complete by the end of the month.
The staff report recommends redirecting $1.3 million from the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre in Scarborough, which is expected to come in under budget, to help cover part of the BMX venue costs.
Proposal to rename Union Station
Also held for a later date was the discussion surrounding the name of Toronto transit hub Union Station.
The director of the Toronto Office of Partnerships is suggesting that the city opt to name a section of Union Station after former prime minister Sir John A. Macdonald.
In February, it was suggested the entire station be renamed, but director Phyllis Berck is recommending only a portion of the plaza in front of the station take the first prime minister's name.
Berck will tell the executive committee that a consultation found the generic public was opposed to the renaming. Most people felt that Union Station had significant heritage value and the iconic building should not be altered, the report said.
