WINDSOR, ONT. -- In a split vote Monday, Windsor city council voted 6-5 in favour of moving forward with contracting out caretaking services at the city.
The contract services are expected to cost about $530,000 a year, but could result in an annual saving of $300,000.
The move to contracting out services will not result in any lost jobs, administration says, workers will instead be redeployed.
Councillors who voted against outsourcing pointed to the move not resulting in current job losses but future.
Counc. Gary Kaschak said it is about looking at a “long-term ideology.”
“How can we as a council really be taken seriously when we speak about buying local, supporting local workers, supporting retail major businesses, small retail — when we are outsourcing,” he said.
Those in favour of outsourcing pointed to there being no jobs lost and a difficult upcoming budget session given the pandemic.
“This is not my own money. This is the money of the people of the City of Windsor and I have to act in a prudent way,” counc. Fred Francis said, pointing to the proposed yearly savings.
There are currently six full-time and one part-time employees in caretaking positions at city hall who will be moved to positions made vacant by retirements.
The contract will not be awarded until early 2021.
