Halifax's top bureaucrat to leave midway through contract
Cathie O'Toole says chief administrative officer role rewarding, but highly demanding
Halifax's chief administrative officer has told council she intends to retire, a move that comes after a tenure of less than three years as the municipality's top bureaucrat.
In an interview, Cathie O'Toole said the job of CAO is a rewarding but demanding one. While she has enjoyed the work, she said she has "paid my dues" after reaching 25 years working in local government. She said she will likely leave in October, about midway through her five-year contract.
"It is definitely a demanding 24/7 job," she said. "I'm at the point where, you know, I've done my public service, I think I've contributed and it's just time to look at my next phase."
Her resignation comes as Mayor Andy Fillmore publicly stated this week he is concerned about how much power within the municipal operation is "concentrated with an unelected CAO."
The mayor said he believes changes to Halifax's governance system are needed and he has had informal discussions with the provincial government about greater mayoral powers.
O'Toole said the issue was not a reason for her decision to leave. She said she has a good working relationship with the mayor and did not take his comments this week as a personal criticism. She said she has been considering retirement since April.
"It's impossible to ignore the swirl and the uncertainty created around the strong mayors discussion," she said. "That does create a little bit of stress and anxiety, but that's not the reason that I'm retiring."
O'Toole, who was paid $303,571 in salary and benefits last year, started in her role as CAO in January 2023 after a four-year stint as the general manager of the municipally owned utility Halifax Water. She has also served as the director of finance for the municipality.
What stands out most during her time as CAO, O'Toole said, was her first year on the job when the municipality was faced with the massive wildfire in the Upper Tantallon area that destroyed dozens of homes, and then intense floods that July.
To note the pressures of the CAO role, she pointed to this week when heavy rain was in the forecast, bringing with it the prospect of flooding and emergency. But she also said public service is "hard right now."
"I think the respect for the professionalism for the public service has generally been declining," she said. "I think the expectations of citizens and also the, I guess, the tone of dialogue around issues has really changed post-pandemic."
At 53, she said she will be looking for work, but in a different sector and different role.
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