Ontario’s provincial transit agency is facing criticism and questions — including from the minister responsible for its work — after spending tens of thousands of dollars entering its own public relations content into awards programs.

Metrolinx, which runs the GO Transit network and leads the government’s transit expansion projects, has a large communications team responsible for promoting its work in Toronto and southern Ontario.

Data shared by the agency with Global News shows its communications department has spent $21,483.93 in the last year entering into various awards.

“No prize money was generated,” a spokesperson said.

In a statement, Metrolinx said it had entered nine communications awards programs in various categories, “including public service, education and discovery, history, and social responsibility.”

A spokesperson for Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria blasted the agency for its spending and said his office would immediately order them to stop after learning about the costs through questions from Global News.

“This is an unacceptable use of taxpayer dollars and Minister Sarkaria has sent a letter to direct Metrolinx to immediately stop all entries going forward,” the spokesperson wrote in a statement.

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“We are delivering the largest transit expansion in North America and Metrolinx needs to remain focused on building the critical infrastructure our growing province needs.”

Metrolinx confirmed the money spent came from its existing communications budget and defended the move as necessary for its professional development.

“It is standard for public and private sector organizations to apply to award programs as part of their communications practices,” a spokesperson for the transit agency said.

“Investment in awards consideration is similar to investments in training or technology — the entry process encourages teams to reflect, measure outcomes, and articulate the impact of their communications.”

Commercials and other marketing materials from Metrolinx may also have been entered into awards, the agency said, but those entries would have been done by the companies contracted to produce the commercials and therefore would not have cost the taxpayer.

The transit agency is responsible for working on projects like the Eglinton Crosstown LRT and the Finch West LRT, neither of which has an official opening date. Metrolinx, whenever asked, has refused to disclose them.

Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner said the Metrolinx communication team should focus on pushing out information on existing, delayed projects rather than entering into awards.

“The communication on the Eglinton Crosstown has been horrendous, so I can’t imagine them winning an award for communications that have essentially said we want to communicate that we have nothing to communicate,” he said.

Metrolinx also recently saw a deal that was supposed to run for almost a quarter of a century fall apart less than three years after the initial paperwork was signed.

It said it was working on an “amicable settlement” to end that contract — but has declined to answer questions about the cost or why the deal fell apart.

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