Taxpayers in Kingston and Loyalist Township could be on the hook for $400,000 following alarming revelations of financial mismanagement at the Kingston Area Taxi Commission (KATC).
A new public report bound for city council on Tuesday details severe operational and financial failures within the KATC, prompting urgent calls from local leaders for a forensic audit.
Greg Ridge, who took over as KATC chair after moving a motion to replace the previous commission last November, said the discoveries made by the new commission and city staff were “far worse than expected.”
The ongoing review uncovered a $262,000 Ontario Superior Court judgment against the KATC for creating a “toxic and hostile work environment,” along with an estimated $30,000 to $40,000 in unpaid payroll remittances to the Canada Revenue Agency.
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The report also flagged approximately $167,000 spent on consultants and legal fees in 2025, accounting for nearly half of the commission’s operating budget. Furthermore, meeting minutes and agendas from 2025 are missing entirely.
“People are right to be angry. I am angry. This is a breach of public trust,” Ridge stated. He noted that prior to the leadership change, previous commission members had assured city council that operations were stabilizing, failing to disclose these critical liabilities.
City Council. Brandon Tozzo, who resigned from the KATC in July 2025 over a lack of financial transparency, is urging his council colleagues to support a full, independent forensic audit.
“This situation is unacceptable,” Tozzo said in a statement. “I am calling on my fellow Council members … to ensure that any evidence of wrongdoing is immediately referred to law enforcement.”
Both Ridge and Tozzo stressed that the financial chaos has serious implications for vulnerable residents, particularly those who rely on the Kingston Accessible Taxi Program, which was already grappling with a $230,000 deficit last fall.
Under KATC bylaws, the City of Kingston and Loyalist Township are responsible for outstanding liabilities if the commission dissolves, meaning the $400,000 burden will ultimately fall to taxpayers.
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