Project manager John Cursio recommended Robin Thoen for the job, then personally approved payments of public money to her totalling at least $50,000 over the past year. One of Cursio's grown children worked part-time for Thoen editing photos during this period.

The TTC said Cursio is in a conflict of interest and never should have recommended Thoen for the work. Senior transit officials are investigating. Though Thoen received payments, there is no contract setting out the terms of the job.

Cursio has been off work since the Star raised these matters with him and the TTC just over a week ago.

"That's a personal matter," Cursio said when asked by the Star about his relationship with Thoen and payments of public money to her. "You do what you have to do," Cursio said, before recommending the Star contact TTC public relations.

Thoen has not responded to questions about her contract or the relationship with Cursio. As to the photo contract, she told the Star she has no idea what the pictures are used for. "I don't know what they do with the photos," Thoen said.

"I go to the sites. They want before and after shots. I am sorry, I really don't have much information on this."

Cursio, who is married and lives in Etobicoke, has allegedly lived a double life for years, according to people who have socialized with him. They said Cursio participated in many discussions about renovation plans at Thoen's former East York residence and frequently hosted social occasions with her. The people who have socialized with him work in contracting jobs and fear they would lose government contracts if they spoke on the record.

Cursio is a veteran civil servant, who has been with the TTC since the spring of 2008. Prior to that he was at the Ontario Realty Corporation, a Crown agency that owns and manages Ontario government property. He met Thoen in the early 2000s and the two struck up a relationship.

The relationship was an open secret among some contractors and ORC officials. In 2004 Thoen purchased a home on Dunkirk Rd. in East York for $230,000 and Cursio often stayed there. Cursio and Thoen frequently entertained contractors at the home. During this time he helped Thoen plan the renovation of the home, which Thoen sold in 2008 for $705,000. She then purchased a house in Etobicoke for $710,000 on a quiet court, just over one kilometre from Cursio's matrimonial home.

At the TTC, Cursio is the project manager overseeing part of the ambitious new Transit City project to build eight new Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines to neighbourhoods not served by rapid public transit. His main responsibility is managing the design and construction of three massive "carhouses" to maintain and store new LRT vehicles.

As a senior official with Transit City, Cursio is supposed to sign a "conflict of interest declaration," which he and other officials are reminded of every few months by email. TTC spokesman Brad Ross said he cannot say for certain that Cursio signed the document.

The policy asks senior staff to declare any association they have with consultants or contractors who will receive payments of public money, not sign any invoices or cheques, and remove themselves from the conflict, said Ross.

In 2008, the TTC issued a tender call looking for a technical consulting company to design the carhouses. Cursio played a key role in evaluating bids for the project, which was awarded in December 2008 to design company AECOM Canada. AECOM will be paid about $8 million to plan the carhouses, and Cursio as project manager is one of three people who approves payments to subcontractors hired by AECOM.

Shortly after AECOM won the bid, Cursio was at a meeting with AECOM officials. Cursio told AECOM that "we need professional photography" on this project, said TTC spokesman Ross. The bid documents provided by AECOM do not list photography as work they are to do for the TTC.

According to Ross, AECOM officials at the meeting asked if Cursio had a recommendation. Cursio recommended West Point Photography.

Ontario records show that West Point Photography was only a few months old at the time, incorporated in August 2008, based out of Thoen's new home in Etobicoke. On her website, Thoen features numerous photographs of what she describes as "creative studies." Among the photos: dogs, shells in water, "water birds," and an orchid.

"Robin's creative photography is an eclectic array of focus that include abstract works, portraitures and studio art," her website states. A second section of the website describes her experience in construction photography. "Tracking the progress of construction projects is a specialty that West Point Photography has pursued for over many years," the website states, describing the fledgling company.

The TTC's Ross, who has been looking into the allegations of conflict of interest, said there is no written contract between AECOM and West Point. He said that between May 2009 and the present, Cursio approved payments to West Point of at least $50,000.

Thoen has taken photos of potential construction sites and streetscapes and also has photographed ratepayers at public meetings the TTC has held. At one recent meeting, over the proposed site near Lake Shore Blvd. and Leslie St., Cursio and Thoen were present and residents and community journalists who attended say Thoen took numerous pictures of residents critical of the TTC plans.

"A lot of people were concerned about the photographer," said Leslieville resident Caron Court, who attended the meeting to object to the plan that will have the rail line running close to her home. "We did not understand why she was taking our picture." Court said she argued with Cursio at the meeting, and described him as "rude and arrogant."

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AECOM would not discuss the matter with the Star. In a written statement, communications manager Laura Soucek said AECOM "is not aware of any association between Mr. Cursio and West Point Photography."

Soucek said West Point was selected "after following a thorough assessment and evaluation process" and AECOM did not feel it was under "any obligation to use" the company. The Star pointed out West Point's slim resumé and AECOM's Soucek then said "we undertook what we believed to be an appropriate level of due diligence prior to retaining West Point."

When the Star first approached Cursio last week, he said, "West Point is doing a contract for us through AECOM" and would not answer further questions. The Star informed him it was investigating allegations of conflict of interest.

Next, the Star contacted the TTC and asked if officials there were aware of the Cursio-Thoen connection.

TTC officials, including a lawyer, met with Cursio, who denied any connection with Thoen, but did say they "have had lunch," Ross said.

After the Star did further research, and posed numerous questions to Cursio through the TTC, Cursio's story changed a bit.

"He has had coffee in her home," said Ross, after speaking with Cursio. Ross said Cursio also said, after being asked about his children working for Thoen, that his daughter had worked for her over a summer period.

Ross said Cursio had also recently tried to get Thoen a full-time job as a community liaison for the TTC, but hiring officials did not select her.

"We have told Mr. Cursio that this conflict should have been declared" and he should not have signed any documents relating to the West Point payments.

Cursio has now told his boss at the TTC that he will not answer any more questions.

"We are looking at all invoices from West Point now and we want to make sure (the TTC) got value for its money," Ross said.

Kevin Donovan can be reached at 416-312-3503 or kdonovan@thestar.ca.