Vehicle barriers to be installed at Toronto’s Nathan Phillips Square

Toronto city council wants to hold more consultations before considering beefing up security measures at City Hall.

Council did, however, approve new vehicle mitigation measures for Nathan Phillips Square during its meeting on Friday.

Perimeter posts will be installed to help protect the public if a vehicle were to mount the curb and target a crowd of people.

City staff have been directed to review four confidential documents including enhanced security measures, a review of the current threat environment, and both a vulnerability assessment and critical infrastructure assessment summary of Toronto City Hall.

Staff will determine what information can be made public from the documents.

Councillor Jim Karygiannis was unsuccessful in carrying a motion for staff to compile a report on the feasibility of a policy for all employees at City Hall to obtain police clearance for the building.

A second motion also fell through, which asked for all members of the public to enter Toronto City Hall using the main entrance only. It was brought forward by Stephen Holyday, with the intention of being brought into effect immediately until staff had an opportunity to report back to city council.

A city staff report that went to Toronto’s executive committee in late November recommended airport-style security at City Hall, with a metal detector and x-ray machine, along with vehicle barriers outside.

Those extra security measures are expected to cost a one-time capital funding cost of $500,000 and an additional annual cost of $774,000 to staff security guards.