Rob Ford’s family says they “fully intend” to reimburse the city for costs incurred during the former mayor’s public visitation at city hall last week.
City of Toronto spokesperson Jackie DeSouza previously confirmed to CP24 that the price tag for the visitation was nearly $19,000, a cost she said would be paid for “out of existing budgets.”
In a statement posted on the Twitter account belonging to Ford’s former chief of staff Dan Jacobs Monday, the family said despite the fact that the actual cost was much higher than the city’s original estimate, they still plan to pay the city back.
“We were initially told that this amount would be minimal, under $1,000, which is well under what we are now told the final tally is. We still fully intend to reimburse the City, and are now simply waiting to be given strict accounting of all the costs incurred," the family’s statement read.
“We would like to once again thank the people of Toronto for their huge support through this difficult time. We also wish to express our eternal gratitude to the staff of the City who were instrumental in putting together the memorial for our beloved Rob."
In a further statement issued Monday, the family added that “we are unconditionally, unreservedly and forever grateful to Mayor John Tory for his leadership and assistance in paying tribute to Rob; the dozens of City staff who came in to work long hours, the volunteers who donated their time, and the people of Toronto, all of whom came to pay their respects.”
The family said they always planned to cover all the costs of the funeral and memorial and said that is what Rob Ford would have wanted.
Ford’s casket was placed in the rotunda of city hall alongside a ceremonial police honour guard on Monday and Tuesday last week.
DeSouza said the costs for the visitation include $11,539 for security, $4,441 in overtime costs for staff from the city clerk’s office and facilities management, $1,226 for refreshments and $1,500 for an honour guard.
The long-time Toronto politician died on March 22 after an 18-month battle with a rare form of soft tissue cancer.
Mayor John Tory and city staff agreed to allow Ford to lie in repose at city hall at the request of his family.
The cost for a procession that transported Ford’s casket from city hall to his funeral at St. James Cathedral on Wednesday has not yet been released.
