Security guards employed by a private contractor for the City of Toronto say they have not been paid for the month of December, despite the company holding municipal contracts worth tens of millions of dollars. The revelation raises serious questions about labor practices within a firm tasked with protecting some of the city's most vulnerable populations.
Missing Paycheques Before the Holidays
Multiple employees of One Community Solutions (OCS) have come forward to report that their December paycheques never arrived. One guard, identified only as Alexander to protect his employment, described the severe financial strain this has caused. "It makes life be too tight," he said, noting that some of his colleagues had no money for Christmas gifts or to send to family for the new year.
According to the workers, pay for late November was also delayed into early December, and the anticipated first January payments failed to arrive on schedule. Screenshots from a company communication app show that HR chief Mitchell Cawley acknowledged "payment issues throughout 2025," citing "growing pains" in a December 18 message that warned pay would be "slightly delayed."
A Pattern of Issues and Lack of Overtime
The payroll problems appear to be part of a broader pattern of concerning labor conditions. Guards, known as Community Safety Teams (CSTs), report they do not receive overtime pay despite frequently working up to 60-hour weeks. Alexander called it an insult that the HR director would advise staff on how to budget during pay delays.
Beyond compensation, employees describe a difficult and potentially hazardous work environment. CSTs patrol areas around city shelters, parks, and subway stations, often interacting with individuals experiencing homelessness, mental health crises, and substance use. The job involves routine exposure to used syringes and the risk of assault, yet workers say they are not provided regular sick days and are expected to find their own shift coverage if ill.
Lucrative City Contracts Amid Controversy
These labor disputes stand in stark contrast to the company's financial success with the City of Toronto. Since its founding in 2020, One Community Solutions has secured over $40 million in contracts from city hall. The municipality's relationship with OCS began with two sole-sourced deals mere months after founder Damion Dunston registered the company and has continued to expand under Mayor Olivia Chow's administration.
The City of Toronto confirmed in a statement that it has made its scheduled payments to OCS for November and December, with another invoice processed recently. Officials directed questions about employee payroll to the contractor. When contacted by the Toronto Sun for comment, OCS and Dunston ultimately declined to address the specific allegations regarding late pay, overtime, or working conditions.
This is not the first time OCS has been near controversy. A review for Ontario's Health Ministry previously criticized the company's guards as poorly trained "bullies" after they were deployed to the South Riverdale Community Health Centre. More recently, OCS personnel assisted at evacuation centres following the dismantling of a Barrie encampment linked to a murder investigation.
Workers Stuck in a Tough Market
Despite the challenges, guards like Alexander feel trapped in the position due to a tough job market. He expressed a genuine desire to help Toronto's homeless population, finding reward in small acts of kindness. However, his sentiment toward his employer is clear: "Basically, anything that happens to you on the job, it's all your fault. The company does not care."
With the city continuing to rely on private contractors for essential safety services, the situation at One Community Solutions highlights the critical need for accountability and oversight to ensure that workers are treated fairly, especially when they are on the front lines of the city's homelessness crisis.
