Reviewing How Hamilton Uses External Consultants

Reviewing How Hamilton Uses External Consultants

As your Councillor, I've made a commitment to look at how the City operates - not just what we're doing, but whether we're doing it as efficiently and accountably as we should be. That means being willing to ask uncomfortable questions, even when the answers take some digging to find.

Recently, I brought forward a motion on Strategic Workforce Capacity and Consultant Utilization. In plain terms: I want to know whether Hamilton is using external consultants as strategically as it should be - and whether taxpayers are getting clear value for what we're spending.

Where This Started

About ten years ago, the City's Auditor completed a comprehensive review of how Hamilton used consultants across the organization. The findings were candid. Concerns identified included inconsistent practices across departments, cost overruns and unbudgeted expenses, limited oversight and accountability, and work that didn't clearly demonstrate value to the organization.

Twelve recommendations followed - covering governance, procurement, financial tracking, performance evaluation, and whether the City should be building more internal capacity rather than defaulting to outside help.

The City responded in 2017 with updates to its governance model. That's a start. But when I looked for a clear, comprehensive update on where all 12 recommendations actually stand today - I couldn't find one.

That matters. Not because I'm assuming nothing has improved - but because accountability requires more than good intentions. Council and the public should be able to see the progress, not just trust that it happened.

What This Motion Does

Staff have been directed to report back with a clear accounting of where things stand. That includes current consultant use and associated costs, progress made on each of the Auditor's 12 recommendations, areas where reliance on consultants remains high, internal capacity and where gaps exist, and recruitment and retention considerations.

From there, staff will be expected to outline concrete steps to improve where gaps are identified - including whether there are opportunities to develop internal expertise rather than continually sourcing it externally.

Why It Matters

Consultants play a legitimate and sometimes essential role. When the City needs highly specialized expertise for a specific project, bringing in outside help can make good sense.

But that should be a deliberate, strategic decision - not a default. And it should come with clear accountability for outcomes and costs.

Ten years is a long time. Taxpayers deserve to know where we stand.

👉 [Link to motion]