Following teen death, Richmond Hill regional councillor comes under fire over foster care company

Carmine Perrelli is the president of Expanding Horizons Family Services

Yorkregion.com
March 2, 2021
Sheila Wang

A local political figure in Richmond Hill has come under public scrutiny following the tragic death of 15-year-old David Roman at a foster home in Barrie.

A recent investigation by CBC brought to light the second job of Richmond Hill Regional Councillor Carmine Perrelli as the president of Expanding Horizons Family Services. It was in the care of his foster care agency that Roman was reportedly stabbed 20 times and bled to death in February 2019.

Perrelli’s association with the company appeared to be a little-known fact until his name appeared in the recent investigative report that looked into the death of the Richmond Hill teenager.

Records show Perrelli became president of Expanding Horizons 11 years ago.

Expanding Horizons is a for-profit treatment foster care agency “committed to the care and well-being of children and youth,” according to its website, which has since been taken down.

The 2019 licensee list of the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) shows Perrelli’s company had a “regular license with conditions” to operate 10 foster homes with 27 beds.

Months after Roman’s death, the ministry renewed Expanding Horizons’ license despite the allegations of hiring an inexperienced foster parent and lacking professional support, according to the CBC report.

On the company’s website, Perrelli’s name, misspelled, was listed among a six-member team.

His title was “senior manager finance,” and a corporation profile report shows that he was registered with Ontario Ministry of Government Services as the “director” and “president” of the company in 2010, the same year Perrelli was elected as Ward 2 councillor of Richmond Hill.

Residents created an online petition Feb. 23 “Censure Regional Councillor Carmine Perrelli” in the name of the late Richmond Hill boy to call on the mayor and council to remove Perrelli’s title of deputy mayor and address the negative impact of his business on the city.

“If this is what he’s done to troubled youth, what make him think that people should trust him sitting on council to look out for citizens' best interest,” resident Greg Gardiner commented on social media.

When resident Carol Davidson tried to raise the topic about Roman’s death during a public forum at the Feb. 24 council meeting, she was stopped before finishing her first sentence.

Mayor Dave Barrow ruled for a point of order made by Coun. Greg Beros and told the resident her five minutes were up, although she said she had barely 10 seconds to speak.

In her prepared remarks obtained by the Liberal, she asked council to “ensure that there is accountability and no council decisions are made that may be in conflict with the personal businesses of council members.”

Many residents shared the same concern.

“Why was Perrelli so vehemently opposed to the construction of the Richmond Hill Hub home to 360Kids in 2013?” resident Joel Clements asked. 

During Perrelli’s 2010-2014 term, he made headlines by opposing -- protesting on the street at one point -- the planned project of regional youth shelter 360Kids in Richmond Hill.

The local charity that opened its doors in Richmond Hill in 2016 offers a wide range of services for at-risk and homeless youths across York Region, including a drop-in centre, youth residential homes and transitional housing.

Perrelli voted against the youth shelter project at a council meeting, but was outvoted by his fellow representatives in June 2013, the Liberal reported.

“Obviously he could argue “I was representing citizens’ desire not to have this in the ward. On the other hand, if he was in the business and he was voting on a proposal of his competitor, that seems to me that maybe he should’ve declared a conflict of interest,” Robert MacDermid, a professor at York University and researcher in municipal politics, said.

When a council member has any pecuniary interest in any matter and is present at a meeting of the council, they shall disclose the interest and shall not take part in the discussion or vote on the matter, according to the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act.

Expanding Horizons receives public dollars in the form of per diem payments for the foster care service.

The Liberal is unable to obtain its revenue reports, but the CBC report estimated the payments for the for-profit foster care company were in the typical range of $150 to $200 per day per child.

At least 16 Children’s Aid Societies (CAS) have placed foster children in the care of Perrelli’s company since the creation of the website, CBC reported.

Tara Gaston, spokesperson with York Region CAS, offered sympathies, but did not confirm or deny if the society placed Roman at Expanding Horizons.

Perrelli didn't respond to multiple requests for comment from the Liberal, as of Feb. 26.